Brave Frontier - Summoning Woes
by glenn.paolo.7
Summary: Summoning Woes, Entrance and Ephemeral are three loosely connected one-shots weaved into a simple comedy tale. The chapters Loom onward tells a story about a certain person of his struggles in the impending wrath of the gods. The story will be updated biweekly on Friday/Saturday. The next update will be on 24 January 2015
1. One Shot 1 - Summoning Woes

Summoning. That was the one word that kept escaping the countless mouths of many around him. Surely it was a big deal, being the talk in everyone's topics. It revolved around something about reclaiming the land that the Fallen Gods have taken from them and the notion that it was high time to strike back at their enemies. Summoning had kept these people alive, most notably because the Fallen Gods were not just fighting the Summoners themselves, but together with revived great heroes of the past.

But for him, this could only be achieved in his dreams. He flunked test after test in spite of his diligence and persistence. In the latest blow to his ego, even the most lenient teacher gave him a giant "F" on the written examination paper for all to see. He dragged his feet across the hallway, enduring the sneers and jeers of his fellow classmates as the exam paper dangled loosely on his right hand. Perhaps he wasn't up for the task. Perhaps his talent was somewhere else.

"Hoi!" a medium-low pitched voice called from behind. "Wait up!"

He turned around at once, dumping the dreadful emotion whirling in his heart for a split second. "Karl?"

"Yo, Agent One," he smiled, panting as though he just ran through a marathon. "How did it go?"

"Not good," Agent One looked at his paper again. "At this rate, I'll really need to drop out."

"Life's gotta be so hard on you now, huh?" Karl rested his arm over Agent One's shoulders. "Hey, I've got something to tell you. Come closer."

"What is it?"

"I just got five gems."

"Really? Those are crazy expensive stuff!"

"Shh! Not over here," they looked up, returning their glares to the public. "It's for you."

"What? Hey, don't talk nonsense here. I don't deserve this."

"Well, we did make a promise didn't we? You said you'd do your best, and that's what you did, right?"

"Um," he glanced at the paper. "I guess so."

"Come on, there'll always be time to catch up. But first, to the Summon Gate!"

The Summon Gate. Famous for either eating into Summoner's pocket money or providing the best fighters known in the whole land. Agent One wasn't particularly interested in it, partly because he lacked the cash to hire these mercenaries. At times when he did get it, the gate would almost always return him units of lower caliber. He envied the elders for having almost everything they wanted - money, power, fame and so much more. Now was the time to attempt at an impossible task of getting a revolutionary unit. His heart pounded with anxiety but at the same time, with excitement. Karl's humble gift would go a long way this time around. This summon better not disappoint him.

"Well," Agent One clapped his hands together as he tossed the jewels into an automated box that mixed the contents within to provide him with a worn-out yellow movie ticket. "Here goes nothing!"

The container seized the ticket the moment it went close to its mouth. Darkness shrouded his surroundings, leaving absolutely nothing left for him to see. He heard no noise, not even his beating heart or his increasingly erratic breath. A bright red light shone right before him, unleashing a powerful gust of wind that threatened to throw him off. He fought against the force, walking ever so slowly towards the massive, majestic red gate. With a gentle touch to the door, it burst open, practically blinding him with its unforgiving beam.

As the shine dimmed, his eyes made out the silhouette of another human being. It appeared to be a head taller than him and had a curvy figure. That person had to be a girl. A pleasant-looking one, and hopefully a temper just as nice.

He took a step forward, emerging out of the shroud of light for his eyes to feast on a dual-croissant-haired blonde woman wearing a bareback gladiator armor with a dark chocolate skirt fitted with white frills on its ends. On her hands were two menacing glowing red axes and a set of fiery red eyes glaring at him so intensely that it felt like she impaled him with just the stare.

"H~uh?!" she placed her hands on her hips. "What kind of joke is this?"

"Erm," he scratched his head. "Um. Hi?"

"Don't 'hi' me! Who are you?"

"I'm Agent One. And you are?"

"Another geek from my dreams. How did 'you' summon me? Whatever! If you don't keep me happy, I'll just go home!"

"W-Wait!" he broke into a sprint as she stomped away.

"What?!"

"Listen to me will you?"

He was about to move towards her when a rock knocked his foot aside. As if his body knew what to do all along, he grabbed her, crashing to the ground with his face sunk into something soft and warm. He squeezed it briefly only for her to grunt. It was then that he realized he shouldn't have done that.

"Hey idiot," she said, her words carrying nothing but anger. "Where do you think you're touching?"

"Waaa! I can explain! I can-"

A cracking sound shattered the silence. He touched his cheek, igniting the intense pain on it. His body was most definitely not lying to him - he just got slapped. To make it worse, it was from a pretty lady.

"Hmph! Don't ever call me again! You hear me?!" she kicked his face, rushing back to the gate.

"W-Wait! I'm sorry," he shouted as the gate closed on him. "I didn't do it on...purpose…"

That was a first. Getting laid by a woman who downright hated him for his mistakes. There was no way an average lady would forgive a man like him for doing something like that. He knocked on the door, trying to reach her but there was no answer. After what felt like an hour, he decided that it was time to call it quits. He walked back from where he came from, watching the environment around him sketched itself back into life. Karl rushed over the moment their eyes met, unable to hide a silly smile.

"So how was it? Did you get a good one?"

"She rejected me, Karl."

"Rejected? What do you mean?"

"It's as I said. She doesn't want me. Hey," Agent One stared at Karl. "Am I really cut up for this?"

"Would it comfort you if I were to say you are?"

"I don't know."

"Man, you sure have it hard," he patted Agent One on the back. "I guess it's a bit sudden on her part that you are her master now. By the way, how did she look like?"

Agent One described the appearance from head to toe, watching Karl's mouth hang open bit by bit.

"Oh god, Agent One, do you know who she is?"

"No."

"She's the legendary Michele, holding the title of 'Red Axe'! Agent One," he seized him by the shoulders. "She's probably the most powerful we've ever seen."

"Really?"

"Tomorrow is the Summoning lesson right? Elder Grah is conducting right?"

"Yeah."

"That's good. You should summon her. You'll make everyone envious!"

"But I'm not here to make people envy me."

"Oh that's right. I forgot. Well, at least you can try to match up with the better students now. Come on," Karl lifted his chin. "Cheer up will you? Don't give up just because she doesn't want to follow you. Give her time. She'll learn to understand your intentions."

"I suppose you're right."

"I'll be there if you need help. So, don't you ever lose to that inner demon of yours."

The next day came in a crash. Agent One smashed the alarm clock blaring at his ear. A little more and he would have had a temporary hearing loss. He pulled himself out of the sack, tidying his room before donning on his denim jacket on top of his white undershirt which was complemented with slim-fit jeans and a pair of military black boots. He stared at himself in the mirror. His reflection mouthed the words "Today is the day.". He was yet to understand the renewed energy flowing in him, but he was certain that something big was going to happen. Then again, would the woman he summoned the day earlier listen to him?

"Ho ho! You guys are up early," Elder Grah said as he levitated off the ground for everyone to see. "Such energy from the youth. Now, shall we begin with a handshake?"

"But Elder Grah, there are so many of us," one of Agent One's classmates said. "How are we supposed to do that?"

"Ho ho, I was just joking there. Now, here is the real thing. I don't need to tell you all what to do."

His classmates raised both their hands to chest level, pointing to where they were facing. They mumbled a small set of incantations, coloring the room with magical circles of yellow, red and rainbow. Some unlucky people had their summon circles as greyish which made Elder Grah shake his head.

"Agent One," Grah looked at him. "Are you not joining us?"

"I-In a second, please."

"Very well."

He raised both his hands, joining them together as a powerful gust surrounded him. His red-lit summon circle joined the rest of the class, but seemed to appear distorted. Grah's eyes on him only seemed to mount the pressure. He was losing his concentration and consciousness fast to the immense power of summoning. No, he was not going to go down without bringing out his unit out.

"Ho," Grah's eyes narrowed. "This looks interesting."

"...Heed my call," a surge of power roared around Agent One. "Red Axe Michele!"

"Yeah yeah," her voice echoed across the room. "I heard you."

As if materializing out of thin air, the dual-croissant-haired woman emerged from the summoning circle. She seized her axes stowed at her back, drawing it out with the most friction possible in a vainly attempt to attract attention.

"My hearing will turn bad if you shout like that," she dug her ears, swinging the axe indiscriminately. "So, where's the enemy? Um," she turned around. The smile on her face disappeared at once.

"Hi," Agent One waved.

"Ehh?!" she loosened the grip on her axes so much that it dangled loosely on her wrists.

"Yeah. It's me again."

"I-I was summoned by this pervert?" the remark attracted a wave of 'oh' and 'uhh'.

"H-Hey," Agent One placed his hands on his hips. "I did say that it was an accident. And I did say I was sorry."

"Sorry my foot," she looked away briefly when her lips curled. "Maybe I'll forgive you."

"Really?"

"If you lick my boots!"

_That evil woman_, his subconscious hissed. He was in the wrong after all, so if he actually did it, maybe it would fix things. He heaved a sigh, tossing his pride aside as he went down to his knees, reaching out for her boots.

"W-What are you doing?" Michele asked.

"I'm doing as you asked."

She yanked her foot, knocking the metal onto his nose that left him rolling on the floor in pain.

"Idiot! Idiot, idiot, idiot! You're a terrible Summoner, you know," she said.

"I know," Agent One stood up, wiping the blood off his nose. "I need some guidance. Will you help me?"

"Ho ho ho!" Elder Grah said. "This is interesting indeed! A Summoner asking for strength by his summoned? Very interesting!"

"Tch. I'll be sure you'll face hell if you don't make me happy," Michele pointed her axe at Agent One.

"I'll do my best," he cracked a smile as the class entered into a frenzy of murmurs. Michele looked away, her face reddening slightly.

"Very well," Grah landed softly on the floor. "Now that we all have our summoned units, I shall begin my lesson."

"Hey," Michele whispered at Agent One's ear. "I didn't sign up for this."

"I'm really sorry. I'm still a student."

"No wonder you're so shitty."

"Thanks," the muscles on his cheeks twitched as a wicked smile surfaced on his face.


	2. One Shot 2 - Entrance

Note: This is a stand alone story that is meant for pure comedic purposes without any true plot behind it. For the actual story, please proceed to the chapter "Loom".

Things ought to go well now. Okay, maybe not with all the destruction done when Zellha was berserk. The authorities naturally found blame on Agent One for not being able to contain her power. They took one step further, making the most unreasonable demand to a mere student - to pay up twenty million zel or face expulsion.

While the huge fee was something to make a fuss out of, it was not all that bad to him. The experiences he had got him to write even more songs in a span of a single day, notably from the tough training with Michele, the intensity of his fear when he fought Zellha and the love that he freely gave away that ultimately calmed her down.

He sat on the bench in front of the piano, testing the arranged music notes he made for himself when he heard the door creaked open.

"What's up?" Agent One asked as he played on as if he was never disturbed in the first place.

"We've been told by Elder Grah about your situation," Zellha replied. "It's a huge debt to clear."

"I'm still finding ways around it but right now, I've kinda hit a wall. The school festival is coming up and there's a lot of preparations needed so I'll think about it when the event is over."

"School festival? What's it about?" Michele asked.

"It's a once-a-year event held by the school to raise funds for the school activities. We're quite high profile if you look at it, with the hype of summoning still high in the air and more recently, the need to renovate the destroyed areas," Zellha looked down on the floor as when he said that. "I'm yet to register for anything significant though."

"You play the piano, right?" Michele asked. "Why not you do a set of performances?"

Zellha snapped her fingers. "That's a great idea! You could even get the band to assist you to make excellent music!"

"Heh, even a dumb person can outwit you."

"Oh?" Zellha smirked, suppressing the obvious desire to laugh. "You finally acknowledge your stupidity."

"What did you say?"

"Don't look at me like that. You started it. So, let's get onto pulling through this proposal," Zellha shifted her attention to Agent One. "You should submit some of your entries to the band and let them help you play it along with you. Who knows, you might actually get popular that way."

"I'm not seeking popularity," he said.

"Humble guy, aren't you? While you perform out there, I'll be selling lemonades. They're a hit even among the gods so you can trust that I can fetch lots of cash."

"I don't like the sound of that," Michele commented. "It sounds almost like you wanna scam people."

"Do I? Then what do you intend to do to help Agent One? H~mm?"

"I-I don't know! Don't look at me like that, it's creeping me out."

"Ah, I know. You can do modelling."

"Modelling?" Agent One asked. "Do you know how tough a job that is?"

"It's not gonna kill this monkey here. I'll admit she's got a good figure but that's all there is to it."

"Who are you calling monkey?" Michele's cheek muscles twitched.

"You."

"I'm gonna destroy you," she stood up, pulling out her axes as Zellha scrolled her tongue out.

"Drop it guys," Agent One stepped in between them, carrying the thick folder of music sheets. "I'll need you guys to help me decide up to three sets of five songs from four-hundred over pieces here."

"F-Four hundred?!" Michele's jaw dropped. "And why three sets when you can settle with one?"

"It's to maximize my chances of success. If one fails, I can use another to back me up. Zellha, do you mind?"

"With pleasure," Zellha snatched it, immersing herself into the great flood of content before her.

"In the meantime, I'll let Elder Grah know about what we agreed on. So, Michele will do modelling, Zellha will sell lemonades and I will give out performances."

"Cut the modelling," Michele said.

"Oh, why are you shy to bare that body of yours?" Zellha asked. "It's not like anyone's gonna die doing that."

"You're the one to talk."

"What's there to worry about?" Agent One said, browsing through the job requests. "The modelling is on women's clothing."

"Is it?"

"Yeah," he looked at her. "What kind of modelling were you thinking of just now?"

"N-Nothing-"

"Lingerie modelling," Zellha snapped, taking pleasure behind Michele's stoning expression.

"Can you not?!"

"I shouldn't have asked," Agent One stumbled in his footsteps.

It was more work than he anticipated. Not only did he need to update Elder Grah on his plan on how to earn twenty million zel within two years, he also had to submit his proposals to the school band and hope that they would help him with it. He had never ventured beyond the classroom before, so that made him a complete nobody thrown into the wilderness to fend for himself. Then again, he wasn't alone in this ambitious quest; Zellha had armed him with the three sets of five songs for him to show it off to the uncanny wild beast he was about to conquer.

This monster that he was tasked to defeat was known to be quite a mean person among the members that Agent One talked to, mainly because of her piercing insults and apparent lack of recognition among people who were achieving results. But rumours would remain rumours; he took a step forward by appointing a time with the band leader using Karl to help him. But he chose a rather inconvenient time since it was after a long and hard practice session.

"Seria, do you have a moment?" Karl asked. "My friend's got a request."

"What does he want?"

"Seria," Karl said. "This is Agent One. Agent One, this is Seria."

"Pleased to meet you," Agent One stretched his hand out for a handshake only for her to shove it aside.

"What brings you, a nobody, here?"

"I've got a couple of music pieces here that I thought might be great to share with you guys. You see, not all of these that I have need to be played solo. Is it alright if you let me show it to you?"

"I'm not really against it, but my guys are already really tired from the practice. Come another day."

"But-"

"Seria," Karl interrupted Agent One. "Agent One really needs this chance. He's got a debt to clear with the school."

"And why should I care?"

"Because," Karl's eyes drifted to Agent One. "He's the one who managed to stop the destruction of the stadium single-handedly."

"H~uh? What makes you think I will believe such an obvious lie?"

"We'll just put it this way," Agent One said. "I'm in debt with the school for a very good reason. And if I don't get the money before graduation, I'll get expelled on the day of graduation itself. I can't do this alone, so I'm appealing to this band because I find that you guys are approachable."

"A-As if compliments like that will help us," she folded her arms. "Fine. I'll let you give us a preview."

Agent One pulled out a thin book, laying out the music sheets onto the piano as the band members gathered at one point to make themselves comfortable. He ignored the daggers poking him on the back as he positioned his fingers as where the instructions told him to. He pressed down on the first note, his mind flashing the image of the last time he held his father's hand. It happened when he ventured with his father down the Lake Lordahn in Lizeria. They went around the lake, collecting herbs that would be useful for the physicians back in town when a man wearing a set of beautiful white armor descended on the lake.

"Um, dad," Agent One said. "I don't think we should go there."

"Hold on, it might be an injured person. Stay right here, I'll be back," his father replied as he took a closer look.

Without warning, a beam of light shot through him. The shock reflected on his father's face, frozen completely as he collapsed from the blow. The shout he made as a child transformed into a powerful blast of tragic music as it reached its peak. It was ironic; he wanted to forget about all these because it tore him apart just recalling it. But there was a strange energy surrounding his fingertips, almost as though those painful images were the ones that drove the song forward. As he slowed the pace to a stop, his ears pricked at the sound of sniffing within the crowd. He turned around, his eyes capturing the tearful faces among his audience.

"I-I'm not crying!" Seria insisted as she blew her nose on a tissue paper.

"So, how was it?" Agent One asked.

"N-Not good enough! Show me one more!"

He shrugged, sitting down on the bench in front of the piano once more as he moved on to the next piece. He laid out the positions, staring hard at the title of the song before launching into an explosive start. The memories reeled in, continuing from where it left off.

"Dad! Dad!" Agent One cried as he nudged the corpse before him.

But he did not move a single muscle even as Agent One poked at his sensitive spots. There wasn't a pulse at all and small pool of blood formed around him so much that it stained Agent One's knees. His mouth dried as the reality sunk in his head. Tears rolled down his cheeks as the grief within flowed in. But the sadness turned into rage the moment his eyes set on the shiny armored figure. He pulled out a knife in his pocket, approaching it as stealthily as possible when it dashed past him with a speed that appeared impossible for a typical human. He turned around, staring right back at the figure moving towards his village. He picked up the tempo as he recalled his past self bursting in a sprint.

"Mom! Sis! Get out of there!" he screamed at the top of his lungs when he toppled over a boulder, skinning his knees in the process.

But his warning came too late - the armored figure had already begun its carnage, setting ablaze the houses, slaughtering the panicked villagers with a single thrust of its dual-tipped spear. He fell to his knees, watching his mother desperately summoned her fighters only to be interrupted by a single swing of the lance. Blood spewed high in the air, staining the roof of their hut. She collapsed to the ground like a puppet being cut off from the manipulations of its master.

"Mom!" he charged forward, forcing himself to ignore the pain that seared on his knees.

It wasn't over. He still had his sister alive. If he could save her, then maybe things would be a little better. The thought pushed him on as his feet pounded the ground harder and harder. But with the crippling pain biting on his knees, the landing of his foot gave way once more. He stumbled, using the picture of his sister in his head as a reminder. No way would he give up just yet.

He rose to his feet but this time with great difficulty. His senses started to dull on him as the sensation overloaded his system. There was every indication that he was about to give up when he noticed a black haired double pony tailed girl came rushing towards him.

"Vanros!" she shouted at his direction.

"Maroma!" he seized her as he toppled over from the desensitized legs. "We need to escape somehow."

"You're injured…" fear trickled out of her voice.

"I'm fine," he forced himself up when everything in front of him dimmed. He looked up, staring right back at the shiny armored figure. All color drained from his face. He reached out for his dagger when it swung its spear across his chest.

"Brother!" he heard her desperate cry as he fell flat on the ground.

He fought against the heavy cloak of death, ignoring the blood staining his shirt as he lunged his dagger right into its abdomen. It ought to work, but only for a moment. He grabbed Maroma's hand, running away as far as his legs could carry him when the armored figure stood right before him.

"Damn," he mumbled as he loosened the movements on his hands and legs. "Come on. I'll take you on."

"Fighting me bare-handed?" the armored figure scoffed. "You've got guts to stand up to me in that kind of condition."

"Klavier, Vanros Klavier is my name. You'd better remember this because you're going down by my hand later if now's not the time."

Just as it swung its spear towards him, Maroma pushed him aside, raising her arms across as she took the hit directly. The world crashed down on him. The one that he fought so hard to protect crumpled to the ground, never to stand up again. Her eyes were devoid of life and the blood spilled like water flowing out of a burst tank.

"Maroma…" he mumbled as he rested his arms on the corpse.

Why did it do that? That was the question stuck in his mind as the tune ground to a halt. His vision was all watery and foggy when the completed track broke the illusion. He wiped on his eyes, staring back at a slightly wet long sleeve. It definitely was not fun reminding himself of all those moments but he somehow knew that his thoughts about his family was what kept him alive no matter how cruel the world was.

"What are you?" Seria asked as he stood up. "How are you able to paint such a terrifying picture in our heads so easily?"

"I've got my moves," Agent One shrugged. "So, shall we collaborate?"

"I'm still considering…" her answer raised eyebrows among the band members.

"Seria," Karl said. "I'm sure he has done more than enough to prove his skill."

"It's fine, Karl," Agent One said as he packed up. "Best not to force her if she doesn't want. I'll just look for another group. In that case, thank you for your time," he bowed as he took his leave.

"Wait!" Seria's voice grounded him on the spot. "I didn't say you can go."

The tips of his lips lifted upwards as he turned the opposite direction.

"We'll take you in, but you better deliver the same kind of performance on the actual day or else you're dead meat!"

He raised both eyebrows as the band group roused in applause.

"You'd better be here the first thing in the morning," Seria shouted as he pushed the door open. "I won't tolerate late-comers!"

"I heard you. So don't worry."


	3. One Shot 3 - Ephemeral

Note: This is a story tied together with the chapter "Entrance." This story is meant for pure comedic purposes without any true plot behind it. For the actual story, please proceed to the chapter "Loom".

Seria's leadership was undeniable. She was able to command the entire band without having to use fear as most other leaders that Agent One knew would. However, she was often quite unreasonable with her orders, going as far as spending the entire day in the room with little or no breaks in between the varying sessions. But such a trait was already predicted since Karl warned him of this before he signed up for the collaboration. She hated being ill-prepared for anything and would do everything in her power to avoid that trap.

On the day of the school festival, all but Agent One was ready for the event. He didn't have the formal wear that Seria required him to be in, adding to the headache that he already had since he was on low budget in the first place. Then again, Karl saved him once more, allowing him to borrow one of his tuxedo suits along with a plain red tie and a set of gold cuffs to be worn on the wrist.

Darkness enveloped the sky as day gave way to night. The crowd was starting to amass in the auditorium, turning on the pressure on the small group of performers. Not all were comfortable at the idea of being watched. Agent One spent more of his time cleaning up his own physical image, using it as an excuse to his panicking subconscious to calm down. A little bit of preparations for the presentation wouldn't hurt, after all.

"Psst, Agent One," he heard someone whisper right behind him. "Over here!"

He turned around, staring right back at a set of giant red eyes with a half-black, half-white sclera.

"Waah!" he bounced away. "Too close! Too close!"

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

"Zellha, can you not startle me like that?"

"Sorry!" she grinned. "I just wanted to tell you, go out there and do well, okay?"

"Thanks."

"While you and your friends are distracting them, I'll go and sell my lemonades. I bet it'll be a hit."

"Just don't do anything funny, please. I'm already in enough trouble."

"No worries," she winked as she hopped away, turning heads as she moved past the others.

"Okay guys," Seria rounded them up. "Today's the night. We're going to show them who we're made of!"

"But captain," one of the members said. "It's my first time in front of so many people…"

"Deal with it!"

"But…"

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen," the emcee's voice boomed over the speakers outside.

"Get in position!" Seria whispered loudly as the group scattered. "You're first, Klavier. Go pull a leg."

"Sure."

"...without a further ado," the emcee said. "Let us welcome the school band!"

It was like he stepped through a shroud - the light beamed down on him wherever he went the moment he stepped out of the backstage. He could see almost nobody in front of him; All he heard was their small chatter before they entered into a welcoming applause. He bowed briefly at them before he took his position on the grand piano that dominated the stage space.

He pressed down the first note, digging into the memories when he first summoned both Michele and Zellha. It wasn't as smooth as he wished it to be, but it was perfectly fine with him since they eventually got along. The introductory piece seemed to be doing its work; the atmosphere in the auditorium started to lighten up as the song yawned into completion.

The audience clapped non-stop as he stood up from his seat. Agent One turned to Seria, using a nod as a cue for her to bring in the rest of the band members. The lights dimmed so much that he could barely see his own hands. They moved in quietly, ensuring that their steps did not disrupt the already lightened mood that Agent One had established from before.

With the snap of someone's fingers, the lights went back on, this time, revealing the entire stage filled with people holding different instruments, arranged according to the instrument they were holding on. Seria raised her hands slightly, prompting the entire band into 'ready' position. Agent One took his seat once more, looking right back at Seria as she swung the conductor's wand.

"One, two, three," Seria mumbled as he watched the wand carefully before unleashing a set of notes in a medium-fast pace.

Seria shifted her attention to the rest of the band, prompting them of their time as they mixed into the initially plain music. Agent One's mind involuntarily wandered into the moments that they practised so hard that almost all of them dropped sleeping when the practice was over. Tonight was the night. All their pain and thrill poured out into the single piece of combined effort as they took the audience into a parallel universe.

It became the talk of the night. The band was overwhelmed with praises from the public on their revolutionary performance since it steered away from the classical themes that many were familiar with. The one that received the most attention was Seria since she was the leader of the group. It was disappointing, but at the same time, relieving for Agent One. Disappointing because Seria took credit for his ideas even though he knew it was unintended; Relieving because he wasn't comfortable talking to a large group about the concept on his own.

He walked out of the auditorium, unable to ignore his stomach that grumbled non-stop even before the concert started. Just beyond the school facilities was a set of night stalls lined up in two neat rows. People roamed around wearing their yukata, making him look a bit out of place with his tuxedo suit. He ignored the gleeful stares that bored down on him, buying a box of four takoyaki from one of the food stalls. He bit on it, the myriad of flavours melting on his tongue when a blue-haired man wearing a similar suit approached him.

"Hey there, popular guy," he grinned.

"Hey Karl," Agent One said. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to tell you that you just made Seria cry," he said with a grim expression worn.

"What?"

"It's like what I said."

"Why would she do that in the first place?"

"Because it's the first time in her life as a band member that the auditorium was so full that there's a demand for an encore. People are willing to pay double the amount for it."

"Really?"

"It's that good."

"But I was just doing it to clear my debt. Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if she gets the teacher-in-charge to pull me over."

"You're not the only reason that it's so successful. The girl wearing a black dress, she sold amazing lemonades too. Though it cost me like fifty thousand zel to buy one…"

"That's good to hear. What?! Fifty thousand?"

"Yeah. But I can handle the pinch. It's really good."

_He just got conned big time_, Agent One's subconscious sneered.

"Hey Agent One! I'm back!" Zellha returned with thirteen fully-filled pouches of coins stashed on her miniskirt. "Oh, hey, Karl."

"Hey," Karl waved. "Wait. You're that girl who sold me those lemonades."

"Yeah. I'm easy to find, aren't I?"

"With those horns, I guess so. They look very much like cosplay material to me," Karl yanked it only for Zellha to return a bite on his hand.

"Woah, watch it," Agent One said. "She gets a bit sensitive when it comes to those."

Zellha maintained her glare even as Karl apologized.

"Um," Agent One stared at the pouches dangling on her skirt. "You should keep those somewhere safe."

"You're in my way, twerp," Michele said, shoving Karl aside. "Agent One, there you are. I was looking for you."

"I was a bit hungry. Sorry for not telling you earlier."

"Oh?" Zellha stared at her red lips. "You've got a good lipstick there."

"Crap. I forgot to wipe it off," Michele pulled out a tissue.

"That looks good on you," Agent One commented. "Of course, you need not wear it when in battle."

"So how did it go?" Michele asked.

"I managed to pay back eighty percent of the damage repairs straight."

"Wow!" the three exclaimed. "That alone with that much?"

"Yeah. The tickets were sold out. Each one of them cost like one hundred thousand zel and there were, well, hundreds of them."

"So what about the money we gathered?" Michele and Zellha asked in sync.

"It's still four million to pay back. So how much did you guys made?"

"Um, one million zel?" Michele said.

"O-One million?!" Karl's jaws hung open. "Isn't that a bit too much?"

"You can never have too much gold," Michele smirked. "So, what about you, Zellha?"

"Five million zel _and_ seventeen gems," she grinned at the moment when Michele's smile turned upside down.

"Fine, fine! Don't give that look! I lost okay?"

"It's not a competition of who gets more, you guys," Agent One said. "So, how do we split the money…"

"I'll pay the rest. So both Michele and I will have a million to ourselves," Zellha suggested.

"So I worked so hard for naught?" Michele placed her hands on her hips.

"Not exactly. You can buy lots of souvenirs before you head back with that kind of money," Zellha said. "Oh, take these gems," she handed over five of them to Agent One. "I'm sure you'll find it useful. I gotta go now. Kajah's gonna find trouble if I stay here for too long. Ta-ta!"

"Who's Kajah?" Michele asked as they watched her rush back to the dark corners of the school.

"Her boyfriend, I suppose," Agent One shrugged.

"What a bother. You're really okay with not taking the money?"

"Yeah. Why? You don't look too happy."

"I-I'm not," she blushed. "It's just…"

"Shall we take a walk? Karl, is the ice cream stall still open?"

"It is, though it's gonna close soon."

"What's an ice cream?" Michele shot an inquiring look. "You're not gonna poison me now, eh?"

"What have I ever done to make you think like that?" Agent One slid back as she leaned forward.

"I was just taking precautions," she folded her arms.

Agent One sighed, giving way to a long period of silence.

"Hey, Agent One," Michele said, breaking the silence before it got any more awkward.

"Hmm?"

"What do you think of Zellha?"

"A little difficult to control, especially in her tendencies to trick people. Why'd you ask?"

"Just a bit curious."

"Two chocolate cone ice cream please," Agent One told the vendor.

"Why'd you buy two?" Michele dug her hands in her pockets.

"Because one is for you? Go on, take it."

She stared at it like she was scanning for any poison inside it. Apparently the visual precaution didn't work - she went on to sniff on it.

"Hey, I told you already there's no poison," Agent One said, shoving aside the daggers poking his back as the public watched them.

"You'd better be telling the truth," she munched on it like she was eating bread. He hunched forward, staring at Michele as she struggled to cope with the sudden discomfort that punched her head.

"Take it easy man! It's meant to be eaten slowly."

"You should have told me earlier," she said with her mouth still full.

It certainly felt a bit off since it was their first time watching the stars twinkle under the night sky. But it was nice for a change - their thoughts far from conflict and fear that the battlefield was always full of. Would Michele yearn for this kind of peace? He turned to her, their eyes meeting for a split second before they broke contact.

"It feesl a bit weird," Michele said. "Being away from battle that is. And… "

"And?"

"That you're treating me to this. I mean, this is the first time someone actually did this so I've got no idea how to act."

"Just be yourself. There's really no need to put on a facade to impress another person. You'd hate it if I pretend to be someone else, right?"

"Still," her cheeks reddened slightly. "It's been a while since I felt this."

"Now you know why I don't like fighting," he leaned against the ledge. "Because when you fight, you don't have the time or space to think about the things that really counts. If the gods are not so held up in trying to get more power, the world would be a much better place, don't you think so?"

"Your way of thinking is really odd, I'll give you that."

"Are you okay with that?"

"Okay with what?"

"With your master's way of leading."

"I still hate that part of you for being soft. You almost tore into two fighting Zellha with in that tattered condition of yours. And yet you still hugged her as if it's nothing. I-I don't get it. It hurts a lot more than when I get cut by a sword just thinking about that…"

She was like a jealous kid seeking assurance from her parents. Maybe she was since he paid a lot of attention to Zellha just to make sure Zellha didn't do anything stupid. But with only so much attention he could give, it could get a bit difficult to spread it out evenly. Now was the time - he wrapped his arms around her, shouldering the weight that pulled her down for a while already.

"Sorry," Agent One said.

"F-For what?"

"For not being there when you need my support."

"It's no biggie," she puffed her cheeks. "Can you let go of me already? We're getting those funny stares from the public."

"Fine."


	4. Ch 1 - Loom

Note from the author:

To those that have read the first few chapters, thanks a lot for your support. Unlike the first few, this chapter onward will take a more serious tone to it. I hope you like this piece of work just as the last few. Without further ado, here is the chapter "Loom".

There was nothing but the ringing silence that filled his ears. His hands was on something soft and cotton-like; His nose picked the smell of fresh linen mixed together with a metallic odour that left a bitter taste on his tongue. It had to be blood and the clean environment his mental picture gave him the impression that he was in an infirmary.

"Is this guy even alive?" his ears pricked as it picked up those words. It sounded like a lady's voice.

"Give him time, Themis. He might be conscious right now," a man said.

"He's healed of all the wounds already, what else does he need? Geez," he felt a strong pull up on his collar. "Get up already! Goddammit!"

His mental image colored with the ripples of water with every unforgiving smack to the point that he forced his eyes open in a desperate attempt to end the torment. He stared right back at a small statured, sunset orange dual-horsetail haired woman, her brown-orange almond eyes locked on him. Her face reddened as she tumbled backwards, smashing her head against the wall with a thump.

"Owie," a teardrop escaped her eyes as she rubbed her head. "Hey you! You could at least have said something!"

"How could I say something when you're already hitting me?" the victim rubbed his cheeks.

"Finally, I can now discharge you. I've been waiting five days for you to wake up you know."

"I see. You have my thanks," his eyes focused on the thin purple linen that covered her body, the only thing keeping it together was a blue jewel adorned on her _flat_ chest.

"Good day to you, mister," a man clad in white armor said. "Please pardon the sorceress of her manners. I am Will, and you are?"

"Klavier," they exchanged a firm handshake. "Where am I?"

"Bariura Empire."

"Bariura huh," he looked at the map that was pasted on the stone wall. "I did recall La Veda's destruction after Bariura Empire in the books…"

"Hey you," Themis stomped on Klavier's foot. "La Veda will not be destroyed! Not under my supervision!"

"Sorry, geez. This midget stings."

"Who are you calling midget?!" a vein popped out on her forehead.

"You of course. I've never seen anybody so short before. Ha. ha."

"Please don't bully our princess here," Will said. "You should be thankful that she willingly healed your wounds."

"Wounds? How bad were they?"

"Almost fatal, I'd say. It was a miracle that you survived somehow. So what do you intend to do now since you're alright?"

"I'm here to find someone," Klavier replied. "His name is Vanros Klavier."

"How do you intend to find a needle in a haystack?" Themis folded her arms. "It's not a small world you know."

"I have my means," Klavier grabbed his sheathed sword and stashed it to the right of his waist. "It'll be a long journey, so I hope you're prepared for it."

"Who is Vanros Klavier?" Will asked.

"One of my close relatives. As far as he is concerned, he is in grave danger."

Themis looked at him suspiciously. "You'd better be telling the truth, boy."

A smile cracked on his face. "Of course I am. But first. I need to find somebody who knows about his whereabouts. Her name is Zellha."

"Zellha?" Will and Themis said in synchronization. "Who is she?"

"An acquaintance."

"I don't like that confidence oozing out of you," Themis mumbled.

"I sense the task to be a noble one," Will said. "Very well, I shall lead you to her."

"Will!" Themis protested. "You can't possibly trust this man so easily!"

"Do you not sense his dire need for help?"

"But…"

"It's alright if you don't wish to accompany me," Klavier said as he drifted off to the main roads. "I know my way around here, so I don't wish to waste your time if you don't intend to give it."

Themis puffed her cheeks, her eyebrows crossed into an angry "V" shape.

"Come on," Will said, nudging Themis. "He will need your help sooner or later. Wait up. We're gonna help you out."

"Much appreciated," his teeth bared in his grin.

The environment was clean of any pollutants, the only source being in the bakeries or blacksmith workshops that hid itself well among the rows of buildings. Men and women wore elaborate renaissance-themed clothing, boasting their status and power using that alone. It made Klavier stand out since he was wearing an unzipped long sleeved black bomber jacket which revealed a thin white undershirt that covered his body. The black pants was of leather quality too; probably more expensive than the priciest set of pants in town of this age.

Just as how a knight would escort the guarded, Will led the way, scattering crowds wherever he went. There were other armored personnel like him, roaming the city in groups of four to ensure civil order in the town that were spread thinly to avoid attract the civilians' attention of their roaming activity.

They entered the back alley near the palace of the city. Unlike the friendly vibe the town gave, this single area was more repulsive, almost as though there was an underground activity going on in it. Klavier moved faster despite the increasing caution exercised in Will's footsteps as they entered the facility through the back door.

In it was a vast space of scientific equipment, from apparatuses to live specimen research confined in a glass container. The air was pungent, almost as though there was rotting flesh somewhere in the area, but it was so dark that they couldn't even see it. The mere sight of animals struggling to escape in the air tight confines made his hair stand.

"What is this place?" Themis mumbled. "Who would do such cruel things to the world's creation?"

"Him," he pointed at a man wearing black-purple samurai armor carrying a metal staff with a orange jewel on its tip. He kept watch of two giant tubes that had human beings trapped inside them. The color on Themis and Will's faces drained away.

"How could he?" Themis mumbled a little louder than a loud whisper.

"Keep it down," Will whispered. "We need to gather more information if we are to accuse him for his wrongdoing."

In front of him were two life sized capsules, each containing a woman and a man respectively. He poured a yellow essence into the mouth of the chamber, channeling the substance into the pink solution they were soaked in.

"You've longed for this, do you not, Eric?" the magician said. "Today is the day. Magic will be your best friend."

Eric's face twisted in frustration as the manipulator let out a wicked laugh.

"This guy," Will said. "What is he doing to that commoner?"

"Magic infusion," Klavier replied. "It's an illegal activity as far as this is concerned."

"This man has to be brought to justice," Themis said, swiping her hand across in a fit of anger when a flask tumbled down to the floor, shattering the silence that stood in the lab the whole time.

"Ah," the magician looked at their direction. "Looks like we have some visitors. Come out, my soon-to-be-guinea-pigs."

"You guys stay here. I'll deal with this fella," Klavier stood up.

"Do you even know who he is?" Themis whispered loudly.

"His name is Shida, one of the great dark magicians of his time that manipulated the power of the gods which eventually caused them to wage war with humans. Is there anything else to it?"

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Is he really that kind of person?"

"Who knows," he shrugged. "I'd best entertain him as the honored guest of the house."

"Finally," a wicked smile dashed across Shida's face. "None I've talking one who dares to emerge from the shadows. Before we begin in the experiments, may I know who you are?"

"Klavier, Vanros Klavier," his hand dropped to the sheathed sword on his waist.

"Shida. Nice to meet you, Klavier. So," he took a step forward. "Shall we begin with the process?"

"Your experiments are as interesting as always, my dear friend, but I'm afraid that I need to decline."

"Oh?" Shida's eyes narrowed. "What is your reason?"

"I'm not here to look for power."

"Not here to look for power, huh. Aren't you a humble one?"

"A lot of people told me that before. But the thing is - immense power is a tool that can only be controlled by strong-willed people. Those without control blinds them, making them think they can do anything when they can't always do so in reality."

"You make it sound like you've gone through a lot yourself. Don't you want to dominate them all?"

"I would love to. But will it do any good to those around me?"

"You're an interesting fella indeed. I'll have you transformed into the being you so desire. Come, I'll break a path for you."

"No! Klavier!" his ears picked up Themis's loud whispers as he was led away by Shida. He glanced back, a slight smile surfacing on his face. He knew that such a gesture would not reassure Themis by any means but he did it anyway since he couldn't allow Will and her to get exposed.

"Shall we begin?" Shida pushed a few buttons at the control station that kept the two life-sized chambers in check.

"I did tell you in the first place that I wasn't here for power," Klavier said, pulling out the sword slightly from the scabbard. "In all honesty though," he slashed the glass container that held Zellha inside, staring at the pink liquid as it burst through the small line that he created. "I've got to thank you for leading me to her."

"Bastard," fury whirled in Shida's eyes. "You do know the consequences of your actions."

"I know very well what I'm doing," Klavier's lips curled. "What are you going to do?"

"You asked for it," Shida pointed his metal staff at him. "Burn in hell, intruder!"


	5. Ch 2 - Poison

A massive red circle of magic materialized at where Shida stood. Pillars of black flames surrounded the entire lab, distorting the environment outside the assumed arena into an otherworldly open space where the tainted purple clouds swirled in the air. Eroded figures of a formally holy ground sat at seemingly random points of the place, infested with countless piles of dead bodies.

Shida swung his staff across, sending a wave of black fire blazing towards Klavier. He bounced away from the point of contact, spinning so fast that he momentarily appeared like a spinning top as he touched down. Shida raised his staff, drowning the heavy strike effortlessly with a simple swing that sent Klavier flying. Shida swiped his hand upwards, conjuring a massive black clenched fist from the ground, smashing Klavier with one fell swoop.

"How's that for a start?" Shida taunted. "Ready for some more?"

"You talk too much, you know that?" Klavier wiped the blood off his mouth.

Klavier focused on Shida, breaking into a sprint. But it appeared he wasn't about to be given an easy target - Shida unleashed a flurry of animating spells, spawning forth armies of the dead in an attempt to stop the unrelenting man before him. Klavier slashed across, unloading a part of his energy in the form of a silver-blue crescent moon that disintegrated the army into unrecognizable bits.

Klavier threw a punch forward so fast that Shida didn't even have the time to react to it, striking square on his torso that threw him off. The impact was so hard that he was smashed to wall. But it wasn't like his reflexes were dampened at all; he swerved to the side just as Klavier's sword slammed right down at him.

"Wrong move," Klavier said. "Bellow, Sirkius."

At his command, the sword flared with blue flames before exploding into a colorful mix of destruction. Klavier tumbled backwards, his face partially burnt from the relentless power of his own weapon. But Shida had it worse; His armor was corroded to the point that it was useless, bleeding from a deep cut caused by Sirkius.

Now was the time to counterattack. Shida mumbled a set of incantations under his breath, filling the environment around Klavier with black balls of matter. It would be impossible to evade it at all; it covered enough space to fit an entire house around him. At the snap of a finger, the balls planted blew up, destroying practically everything as it consumed Klavier whole. The tips of his lips lifted. Victory was finally his. The thought played and replayed in his mind to the point that he was driven mad by it.

"Such a waste," Shida said. "It would've been able to use you as my experiment had it not been for your resistance. You make a good specimen, Klavier."

"No one said that I was defeated," Klavier's voice trailed from behind.

The words throbbed in Shida's head. Impossible, no one could ever survive such a devastating attack. He turned around, staring right back at him, his top completely blown up into shreds of cloth that stubbornly stuck on his body. On his left hand was the black sword glowing in a strange golden aura.

"Bellow, Sirkius," he said, unleashing yet another powerful burst of aura that ripped through Shida's body.

Shida staggered back, touching his ripped chest as the blood flowed uncontrollably from the wound. He wasn't about to be defeated just yet. He pointed his staff towards Klavier when his eyes caught sight of the black blade's edge shining right back at him.

"Move an inch and that throat is gone," Klavier said. "Release her now."

"Why should I? It's not your specimen in the first place."

"I'll say this only once," the blade poked on his throat. "Hand her over."

"What will you do? Huh? Kill me? That's not gonna happen."

"It's alright if I do it anyway. I'll just have to figure a way around how to get her," a smirk surfaced on Klavier's face. "Look. I don't have time to mess with your little experiments. So do as I say and it'll be a happy situation for you."

"F-Fine," Shida mumbled a spell under his breath. "I'll let her go, okay?"

The environment started to distort once more, breaking into tiny bits of squares, reconstructing itself into the dark silver place that they initially stood in. They stood in their positions, maintaining fierce stares at one another as life was breathed around them. Will and Themis emerged from their hiding, horror written all over their faces.

"You had to do it again, don't you?" Themis asked. "I just fixed you up and now you're all bashed up!"

"Sorry about that," Klavier said. "Once we're done here, we can recuperate."

Shida typed in the data into the relevant fields to release the two people inside their chambers. The tube that kept them suspended in the air came off, allowing them to collapse to the cold, hard floor. Within seconds after their release, they heard them cough as they breathed in the pungent air around them.

"I've done as you asked. So, let me go already," Shida said.

"Very well," Klavier lowered his sword.

It wasn't about to be over like that. He chanted a spell under his breath, imploring to the two subjects that he held in his care to rise to their feet. They did as he told them to, hung up like puppets being manipulated by an amateur master. Their eyes were void of any life, staring at Klavier and his companions with an obvious desire to kill.

"You heard me right," Shida said. "They're all yours."

It wasn't like Shida's actions threw him off. Klavier anticipated it, knowing that Shida would find opportunities to subdue him in moments that seems to be of excellent times. He turned to Shida, swinging his sword across that let out a burst of golden aura.

"Where do you think you're aiming?" Shida taunted as he dived away from the hit.

"Not you of course," Klavier pointed at the blazing inferno that was ignited from his attack. All color from Shida's face drained. Before he could attempt to jump away, the facility behind him exploded, blowing him up into smithereens.

"One down," Klavier said, shifting his attention to the possessed Zellha and Eric. "Two more to go."

"Klavier!" Will stood in front of him, wielding his sword and shield. "Stand back, you're heavily injured."

"I'm fine," he insisted. "Will, can I task you to deal with Eric?"

"Are you mad? Zellha's a goddess. You can't possibly fight her in that kind of condition!"

"Are you able to handle her then?"

"That's…"

"You got my point. So, let's get this done quickly so we can go home already."

"Who are you?" Zellha flexed her claws, staring at Klavier so intensely that he felt the glare shot right through him.

"Where are my manners?" he bowed. "The name's Klavier. Vanros Klavier."

"You're no ordinary human," her eyes narrowed. "What are you?"

"I don't see a reason to tell you just yet," In that exact moment, he felt a jarring pain. A sinister grin surfaced on Zellha's face as she pulled her claw out, blood spilled all over it for her to lick on. Klavier staggered back, fighting against the increasingly powerful sensation culminated on his abdomen. He knew that Zellha was not one to mess with, not when she was already furious over Shida's actions.

"You sure talk big," she clashed against Klavier's sword. "Come on, I know you're not yet done."

She grabbed onto his blade, gripping it so hard that Klavier couldn't yank it off her grasp even if he put in all his effort. For a moment, it felt as though he went through the same situation before. If his memory served him right, he fought off a beast that had fiery red hair whose claws were made of adamantium, a kind of metal that was way stronger than steel. That monster ripped through his torso when Klavier couldn't block it with his disabled sword.

He won't repeat the same mistake again. He let go of the weapon, diving straight down before Zellha could land another blow that could potentially kill him. Klavier swung his left leg across, smashing against her side so hard that he heard a crack. He grabbed her on the shoulders, collapsing to the floor as fast as he could for her to bounce off the ground head first.

But Zellha remained unfazed. She stood up, clenching her fist to summon an ethereal sword. He lifted his blade with a single hand in full anticipation. Klavier seized his weapon, clashing with hers that sent a loud, metallic clang that reverberated throughout the vast space of the laboratory.

"I should have known that the true power of the gods is something to reckon with," Klavier said as he broke away from the clash. "In that case, here's a present for you.

He pointed at her using his right hand, holding his position steady as a small red ball of energy massed up on his finger.

"You! Where did you learn that technique from?!" she jumped towards him with her claws bared in a desperate attempt to intercept him. But she was a second too late; He released the attack, unleashing a red beam half the size of a hovel that tore through everything in its path before it slowly reduced in size and disappeared completely. Zellha fell to her knees, her body as charred as the area that was under the mercy of his magic.

"Impossible," she muttered as the blackness of her sclera faded away. "Only the high ranking gods can afford to do such attacks…"

"I see you got the point. Yes, it's a god's power," he said. "So, can we make a deal here?"

"Fine, I lost," she said. "So what do you want from me?"

"I'm here to retrieve somebody by the name of Vanros Klavier. I need your help to track his whereabouts."

"But," she raised an eyebrow. "Isn't _your_ name Vanros Klavier?"

"There are a lot of people by the same name. But I'm looking for this kid who looks like me. That's all."

"H~mm," her lips curled. "I will do as you ask. But you need to do as I ask first."

"Fine. So what is it that you want?"

"Give me a gem."

He heaved a sigh, pulling out one colorfully designed diamond from his pocket.

"Woah. It's the real thing!" her eyes sparkled, snatching it away from him.

"Klavier!" Themis said, carrying Eric on her shoulder. "I'm sending Eric to the infirmary. I'll catch up with you guys later."

"For a midget, she's actually quite strong," Klavier mumbled as she trotted away.

"I heard you dimwit. Once I'm done with him, I'll wreck you!"

"I'd like to see you try. Anyway," he turned his attention to Zellha. "Are you allowed to be seen by the public?"

"Not unless I'm fighting a war," she said.

"I see," his lips drooped to a frown. "I guess that's acceptable. Now, to find a change of clothing."

"Klavier," Will said, offering a thick white robe folded nicely on his hands. "This is all that I have. Take this, it'll ease the pain for now."

"Thanks," he sniffed on some medicinal scent that numbed the pain. "Are you alright with me using it?"

"Why not?" he returned a smile. "It's a token of appreciation for your services. This will allow you to be recognized by the knights of the Holy Order."

"Thanks," Klavier put on the sleeveless robe, tucking the excess parts into his pants to create a new, clean image of himself. "Let's get out of here already."

"Well, what do we have here?" an unfamiliar voice shattered the momentary silence in the laboratory.

"Who are you?" Klavier stared at an figure of a man emerging from the dark corners of the lab.

He had unruly brown hair, wearing the cloak of a white knight, the symbol of a red cross engraved on it. Each step he took gave away a soft clank of metal. He pulled out a thin double edged sword, its tip akin to that of a pencil tip as opposed to Agent One's curved edge.

"Iikuto Ryuuga," Will's voice shook in anger. "What are you doing here?"

"Same question applies to you," Ryuuga's lips curled. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Be careful, Klavier," Will said. "This man's -"

The sound of metal ripping into flesh tore the perceived silence between them. Blood splattered on Klavier's face, his eyes capturing the fear in Will's as he collapsed to the floor.

"What a shame to be called an officer. You're not fit to be one in the first place," Ryuuga spat at Will.

"Have you no respect, spitting at him like that?" Klavier gritted his teeth.

"I do as I please."

"Who in the world do you think you are, using that power of yours to hurt people?"

"Are you testing my authority?" his eyes narrowed.

"Am I?"

"Say one more word and I swear I'll slit that damned throat of yours."

"Try me," Klavier goaded.

"In that condition? Hah!"


	6. Ch 3 - Red Axe Michele

Klavier's power surged so much that the earth around them trembled. Glass apparatuses came crashing down under the dominating force as KLavier burst into a sprint. Despite the phenomenal speed, Ryuuga raised his sword in full anticipation, bringing his charge to a full halt with a clash. Klavier forced his sword upwards, breaking the balance of his opponent. With his torso open for a direct hit, he lunged his blade forward. Ryuuga swerved to the side, counter-attacking with a series of frenzied strikes. Klavier evaded the first hit, his eyes focused on the deadly edge coming closer at a perceived slow speed. He raised the black blade, blocking the strike that would have otherwise sliced his chest into two. Their swords stubbornly stuck one another, shaking the air violently that destroyed the immediate area around them.

"You fight well to be this battered," Ryuuga said.

"What do you know?" Klavier replied. "I never heard my opponents compliment me like that before."

The flattery seemed to work; His enemy was letting down his guard. Klavier grabbed hold of his head, slamming him down to the ground with all his might. Klavier slammed his sword down. But the blade missed an inch as Ryuuga jerked away from the incoming attack. Klavier escaped his grasp, bouncing back to create a small distance between them.

Fatigue weighed down on him. He should have known better, there was no way he would have enough stamina to last three duels back-to-back like that. But that wouldn't be a problem if could deal the finishing blow first. Klavier charged forward, channeling all the anger and bitterness lingering in his heart into that single attack.

He swung the sword with all his might yet Ryuuga countered with an effortless clash that blew away even more of the lightweight materials around them. The parry did more than just block the otherwise lethal attack; the blade snapped. A wicked smile masked Ryuuga's formerly serious look. He thrusted the sword straight towards Klavier's heart. He wasn't about to let himself get hurt just like that. He forced himself to the side as the blade sunk into his body that was just an inch away from the vital area.

"Damn," Klavier grabbed the blade, pulling it out with all his might. Ryuuga twisted it before he could, overloading his body with the torment. The strength he needed dried up on him as Ryuuga pulled it out, breaking into a triumphant laugh as Klavier fell to his knees. Ryuuga raised his sword right above him, no doubt boasting the hard-earned victory over Klavier's defeat. He pushed his sword down towards Klavier's back only to be stopped by an unknown force just before the blade could sink in.

Right before Klavier was the orange haired dual ponytailed girl that held her jeweled staff steady with both her hands. An image throbbed in his head. It felt as though he went through the exact same moment somewhere down his lifetime though he had no instance of such interventions in his most immediate memories.

"Are you alright, Klavier?" she asked.

"Themis! How did you…?"

"Long story. I'll tell you later once I'm done with him," she leveled her weapon parallel to the ground. She let go of it, allowing it to levitate without the support required as she chanted a set of incantations under her breath.

Ryuuga leapt forward, thrusting his sword towards her. Klavier could hear his mind scream the order to get up but like a stubborn child, his body refused to move even in the increasingly dire situation he found her in. He wasn't about to lose Themis the same way how he lost will, at least that was what he hoped so. But Themis was starting right back at Ryuuga, continuing her chants as though she paid no mind to his meddling. She somersaulted backwards, narrowly evading the strike as she formed a "V" shape with her fingers on the tips of her lips. She squeezed her lips with the fingers, breathing out a set of flames that roared at Ryuuga's direction.

"Time to go," Themis said, carrying Klavier like a sack on one hand and levitating Will off the ground with her magic. She waved her staff in a circular motion, speaking in an ancient tongue. The words were cryptic enough to keep Klavier from understanding what was running in her head. But what was certain was that Themis was not interested in fighting at all. Before long, Klavier's vision blackened into nothingness.

He heard nothing but a ringing buzz. His head was resting on something soft and warm, his body still somewhat paralyzed from what felt like a tranquilizer jab. He opened his eyes, staring at a white ceiling lit under the candlelight when Themis entered his line of vision.

"How long was I out?" Klavier asked as he sat up on the infirmary bed.

"Three days," she turned her attention to the other patients in the same room. "You were lucky that I got there on time. You'd probably just as badly wounded as Will is."

"Thanks," a slight smile surfaced on his face. "I owe you one for saving me there."

"Gee," she shuffled her feet. "That's a first."

"Why?"

"Not really. Anyway, what happened to your sword?"

"It snapped when I fought Ryuuga off. It's never happened before and I've maintained it for as many times as I can everyday."

"It can't be helped then," she shrugged. "I know an aristocrat around here that can assist you in replacing that blade temporarily. She's currently selling her final stock of unwanted weapons and armors."

"I bet it cost mountains of zel to buy one."

"You can try to bargain with her. She'll be willing to do so since you're a 'knight', taken from the fact that you're wearing Will's trainee robe."

"What's her name?"

"Michele. She has a very complex hairstyle, is a blonde, and incredibly tall. She's easily recognizable among the nobles so you will want to gather information first before approaching her."

"You give me the impression that she doesn't want to deal with people outside her circle of friends."

"It's rumoured to be the case."

"But why would she be in Bariura Empire at this point of time?"

"One, to sell some stuff and two, witness a political situation in here. Well, do you wanna see her?"

"I might as well since she might travel soon. In that case, do you not mind patching me up further?"

"Sure," she hovered her hands over the barely closed wounds on his body. Her face strained with intense concentration as a green ethereal orb materialized on her palm. She pushed it into his chest. His fingers tingled with a strange sensation, his body lost all sense of pain in his movements.

"Go on. I'll wait for Will to wake up," she said.

"Thanks."

He stashed his broken sword into its scabbard, making his way out from the infirmary into the city. It bustled with all sorts of activity from the merchants doing their noisy trade to the artists that painted their canvases with a lot of care and love to it. There was a clear division between the commoners and the noble; the more elegantly clothed people located at where Klavier was walking towards to, and the less well-off people on where he stood. Even though there was no barricade to clearly distinguish who was from where, he sensed a different air the moment he entered the aristocrat's environment.

Unlike the commoner's side, the rich man's area was filled with luxurious things - parties, expensive fashion and music. The place was a lot cleaner and was guarded with higher ranking soldiers that patrolled the parameter to ensure their security. Klavier ignored the quick stares that caught the noble's attention as he walked past them, scanning the area for that one person recommended by Themis. Then again, the description given by Themis wasn't good enough to give him a solid mental picture…

"You look a bit lost," a pleasant-sounding voice said from behind.

"I am," Klavier looked back to see a fully armored long haired blonde lady wearing a metal headband with a halberd hanging loosely on her back. Her strong blue eyes met his for a split second before he looked away. "I'm looking for someone by the name of Michele. Do you know where she might be?"

"What business do you have with her?"

"I'm a knight who needs to have a replacement sword," he pulled out his broken sword. "You see, I can't perform my duty if I don't have a working blade."

"I see. What's your name?"

"Klavier. Vanros Klavier."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Amy."

"Pleased to be your acquaintance," he gave a brief bow. "Shall we get going? I'm kinda on a rush now."

"You came at a good timing. Michele is leaving for La Veda tomorrow. Follow my lead."

How embarrassing. Themis's poor description of Michele was the one responsible for his cluelessness. It would do no good to refuse the offer given to him. Amy walked like any other soldier around the town, but there was a strong sense of pride in her strides. At the same time, there was a lady-like vibe from it, turning some heads as they went along into a courtyard that was filled with well-dressed nobles. City guards were stationed at strategic locations, their eyes peeled on a lookout for any possible assassins that might infiltrate the perimeter. They eyed on Klavier briefly, scanning him like they would to other first time visitors before letting him in without resistance.

"There she is," Amy pointed at a blonde dual-croissant-braided haired girl wearing a red gown that had intricate designs on it.

"There's no signs of any weapons or armor on her," Klavier commented.

"You got a point. Okay, stay here and let me talk to her. I'll be right back."

Great. Klavier was now left alone in an environment he knew he couldn't click into very well. There were a lot of things he was yet to know such as hooking up ladies, being the cool kid in town and drinking. He took a cup of cocktail wine from the buffet table blending in with the crowd as much as he could just to avoid looking out of place. After what felt like an eternity, Amy returned with Michele, who was a head taller than himself and was probably more muscular than he was.

"What business do I have with a lowly knight like you?" Michele asked.

"Um, good evening milady," he bowed. "I'm here to request for a new blade. My acquaintance, Themis, told me that you have what I need."

"That blabbermouth, I'm gonna teach her a lesson on shuttin that trap of hers. Alright. Since you're here, there's a lot of weapons that is on sale but you can expect a hefty price tag to it. But before that, why not you enjoy the party for a while longer?"

"I'd really love to but you see, I need to get back to duty as soon as I can. My superior will kill if I don't return within an hour."

"I see. Follow me," she trailed away into a candle-lit room in a tower adjacent to the function.

In the area was just a long table filled with weapons of varying types and sizes lined up in display. Klavier glanced at each of them that bore a different, unique name to it. The one that caught his eye was a snow white blade. It's guard was decorated to appear like a lion's mane, and its edge was curved just like his black sword Sirkius. He picked it up, ignoring the strange sensation it made when he touched it as he examined the durability of it.

"I see you've made your choice quite quickly," Michele said.

"How much is this?"

"Five gems. That's the cheapest and weakest sword in my stock. Are you sure you want that?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Is it alright if I take it with four gems instead?"

"No can do, trainee. This thing's price tag is fixed based on the market price. Any lower and it'll be too cheap to sell."

"Fine," he heaved a sigh, forking out the last few gems in his pocket.

"A fine deal," her lips curled. "Well, let's get back already. I've gotta listen to some more political crap again…"


	7. Ch 4 - Godspeed

Klavier's power surged so much that the earth around them trembled. Glass apparatuses came crashing down under the dominating force as KLavier burst into a sprint. Despite the phenomenal speed, Ryuuga raised his sword in full anticipation, bringing his charge to a full halt with a clash. Klavier forced his sword upwards, breaking the balance of his opponent. With his torso open for a direct hit, he lunged his blade forward. Ryuuga swerved to the side, counter-attacking with a series of frenzied strikes. Klavier evaded the first hit, his eyes focused on the deadly edge coming closer at a perceived slow speed. He raised the black blade, blocking the strike that would have otherwise sliced his chest into two. Their swords stubbornly stuck one another, shaking the air violently that destroyed the immediate area around them.

"You fight well to be this battered," Ryuuga said.

"What do you know?" Klavier replied. "I never heard my opponents compliment me like that before."

The flattery seemed to work; His enemy was letting down his guard. Klavier grabbed hold of his head, slamming him down to the ground with all his might. Klavier slammed his sword down. But the blade missed an inch as Ryuuga jerked away from the incoming attack. Klavier escaped his grasp, bouncing back to create a small distance between them.

Fatigue weighed down on him. He should have known better, there was no way he would have enough stamina to last three duels back-to-back like that. But that wouldn't be a problem if could deal the finishing blow first. Klavier charged forward, channeling all the anger and bitterness lingering in his heart into that single attack.

He swung the sword with all his might yet Ryuuga countered with an effortless clash that blew away even more of the lightweight materials around them. The parry did more than just block the otherwise lethal attack; the blade snapped. A wicked smile masked Ryuuga's formerly serious look. He thrusted the sword straight towards Klavier's heart. He wasn't about to let himself get hurt just like that. He forced himself to the side as the blade sunk into his body that was just an inch away from the vital area.

"Damn," Klavier grabbed the blade, pulling it out with all his might. Ryuuga twisted it before he could, overloading his body with the torment. The strength he needed dried up on him as Ryuuga pulled it out, breaking into a triumphant laugh as Klavier fell to his knees. Ryuuga raised his sword right above him, no doubt boasting the hard-earned victory over Klavier's defeat. He pushed his sword down towards Klavier's back only to be stopped by an unknown force just before the blade could sink in.

Right before Klavier was the orange haired dual ponytailed girl that held her jeweled staff steady with both her hands. An image throbbed in his head. It felt as though he went through the exact same moment somewhere down his lifetime though he had no instance of such interventions in his most immediate memories.

"Are you alright, Klavier?" she asked.

"Themis! How did you…?"

"Long story. I'll tell you later once I'm done with him," she leveled her weapon parallel to the ground. She let go of it, allowing it to levitate without the support required as she chanted a set of incantations under her breath.

Ryuuga leapt forward, thrusting his sword towards her. Klavier could hear his mind scream the order to get up but like a stubborn child, his body refused to move even in the increasingly dire situation he found her in. He wasn't about to lose Themis the same way how he lost will, at least that was what he hoped so. But Themis was starting right back at Ryuuga, continuing her chants as though she paid no mind to his meddling. She somersaulted backwards, narrowly evading the strike as she formed a "V" shape with her fingers on the tips of her lips. She squeezed her lips with the fingers, breathing out a set of flames that roared at Ryuuga's direction.

"Time to go," Themis said, carrying Klavier like a sack on one hand and levitating Will off the ground with her magic. She waved her staff in a circular motion, speaking in an ancient tongue. The words were cryptic enough to keep Klavier from understanding what was running in her head. But what was certain was that Themis was not interested in fighting at all. Before long, Klavier's vision blackened into nothingness.

He heard nothing but a ringing buzz. His head was resting on something soft and warm, his body still somewhat paralyzed from what felt like a tranquilizer jab. He opened his eyes, staring at a white ceiling lit under the candlelight when Themis entered his line of vision.

"How long was I out?" Klavier asked as he sat up on the infirmary bed.

"Three days," she turned her attention to the other patients in the same room. "You were lucky that I got there on time. You'd probably just as badly wounded as Will is."

"Thanks," a slight smile surfaced on his face. "I owe you one for saving me there."

"Gee," she shuffled her feet. "That's a first."

"Why?"

"Not really. Anyway, what happened to your sword?"

"It snapped when I fought Ryuuga off. It's never happened before and I've maintained it for as many times as I can everyday."

"It can't be helped then," she shrugged. "I know an aristocrat around here that can assist you in replacing that blade temporarily. She's currently selling her final stock of unwanted weapons and armors."

"I bet it cost mountains of zel to buy one."

"You can try to bargain with her. She'll be willing to do so since you're a 'knight', taken from the fact that you're wearing Will's trainee robe."

"What's her name?"

"Michele. She has a very complex hairstyle, is a blonde, and incredibly tall. She's easily recognizable among the nobles so you will want to gather information first before approaching her."

"You give me the impression that she doesn't want to deal with people outside her circle of friends."

"It's rumoured to be the case."

"But why would she be in Bariura Empire at this point of time?"

"One, to sell some stuff and two, witness a political situation in here. Well, do you wanna see her?"

"I might as well since she might travel soon. In that case, do you not mind patching me up further?"

"Sure," she hovered her hands over the barely closed wounds on his body. Her face strained with intense concentration as a green ethereal orb materialized on her palm. She pushed it into his chest. His fingers tingled with a strange sensation, his body lost all sense of pain in his movements.

"Go on. I'll wait for Will to wake up," she said.

"Thanks."

He stashed his broken sword into its scabbard, making his way out from the infirmary into the city. It bustled with all sorts of activity from the merchants doing their noisy trade to the artists that painted their canvases with a lot of care and love to it. There was a clear division between the commoners and the noble; the more elegantly clothed people located at where Klavier was walking towards to, and the less well-off people on where he stood. Even though there was no barricade to clearly distinguish who was from where, he sensed a different air the moment he entered the aristocrat's environment.

Unlike the commoner's side, the rich man's area was filled with luxurious things - parties, expensive fashion and music. The place was a lot cleaner and was guarded with higher ranking soldiers that patrolled the parameter to ensure their security. Klavier ignored the quick stares that caught the noble's attention as he walked past them, scanning the area for that one person recommended by Themis. Then again, the description given by Themis wasn't good enough to give him a solid mental picture…

"You look a bit lost," a pleasant-sounding voice said from behind.

"I am," Klavier looked back to see a fully armored long haired blonde lady wearing a metal headband with a halberd hanging loosely on her back. Her strong blue eyes met his for a split second before he looked away. "I'm looking for someone by the name of Michele. Do you know where she might be?"

"What business do you have with her?"

"I'm a knight who needs to have a replacement sword," he pulled out his broken sword. "You see, I can't perform my duty if I don't have a working blade."

"I see. What's your name?"

"Klavier. Vanros Klavier."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Amy."

"Pleased to be your acquaintance," he gave a brief bow. "Shall we get going? I'm kinda on a rush now."

"You came at a good timing. Michele is leaving for La Veda tomorrow. Follow my lead."

How embarrassing. Themis's poor description of Michele was the one responsible for his cluelessness. It would do no good to refuse the offer given to him. Amy walked like any other soldier around the town, but there was a strong sense of pride in her strides. At the same time, there was a lady-like vibe from it, turning some heads as they went along into a courtyard that was filled with well-dressed nobles. City guards were stationed at strategic locations, their eyes peeled on a lookout for any possible assassins that might infiltrate the perimeter. They eyed on Klavier briefly, scanning him like they would to other first time visitors before letting him in without resistance.

"There she is," Amy pointed at a blonde dual-croissant-braided haired girl wearing a red gown that had intricate designs on it.

"There's no signs of any weapons or armor on her," Klavier commented.

"You got a point. Okay, stay here and let me talk to her. I'll be right back."

Great. Klavier was now left alone in an environment he knew he couldn't click into very well. There were a lot of things he was yet to know such as hooking up ladies, being the cool kid in town and drinking. He took a cup of cocktail wine from the buffet table blending in with the crowd as much as he could just to avoid looking out of place. After what felt like an eternity, Amy returned with Michele, who was a head taller than himself and was probably more muscular than he was.

"What business do I have with a lowly knight like you?" Michele asked.

"Um, good evening milady," he bowed. "I'm here to request for a new blade. My acquaintance, Themis, told me that you have what I need."

"That blabbermouth, I'm gonna teach her a lesson on shuttin that trap of hers. Alright. Since you're here, there's a lot of weapons that is on sale but you can expect a hefty price tag to it. But before that, why not you enjoy the party for a while longer?"

"I'd really love to but you see, I need to get back to duty as soon as I can. My superior will kill if I don't return within an hour."

"I see. Follow me," she trailed away into a candle-lit room in a tower adjacent to the function.

In the area was just a long table filled with weapons of varying types and sizes lined up in display. Klavier glanced at each of them that bore a different, unique name to it. The one that caught his eye was a snow white blade. It's guard was decorated to appear like a lion's mane, and its edge was curved just like his black sword Sirkius. He picked it up, ignoring the strange sensation it made when he touched it as he examined the durability of it.

"I see you've made your choice quite quickly," Michele said.

"How much is this?"

"Five gems. That's the cheapest and weakest sword in my stock. Are you sure you want that?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Is it alright if I take it with four gems instead?"

"No can do, trainee. This thing's price tag is fixed based on the market price. Any lower and it'll be too cheap to sell."

"Fine," he heaved a sigh, forking out the last few gems in his pocket.

"A fine deal," her lips curled. "Well, let's get back already. I've gotta listen to some more political crap again…"


	8. Ch 5 - The Reverse Blade

Michele's ears pricked at the strong, distinct sounds weaved together along with a focused tone underneath its wraps. She forced open her eyes, grabbing onto a flower vase sitting at her side when she noticed an unruly strawberry blonde haired man wearing a sleeveless white robe and baggy black pants sitting in front of the piano keyboard. She knew that music at once - the first of its kind to be able to play in a different way from the conventional classical setting. The impact was so strong that the musician who pioneered the style became busy with requests from kings of various lands. To think that the musician's influence stretched far enough to land onto the hands of a trainee knight…

"That's enough already, Klavier! You've been playing the piano for hours!" Themis yanked him by the cheek, forcing him back to the infirmary bed.

"Damn, you don't hold back, do you?" he rubbed his swollen cheek.

"That's because you're the most injured in the group," she folded her arms, her eyebrows arched together to form a "V". "I won't cast any more of my healing magic if you insist on playing when you've yet to recover fully!"

"Fine…"

"Now, to administer the drips to the rest," she pulled up a silver tray full of transparent bags filled with crystal clear water from the trolley on her side. "Oh, hey Michele. How are you?"

"I was fine until you two twerps disturbed my peace," her eyebrows twitched.

"I'm sorry, milady. Didn't mean to disturb you!" Themis bowed apologetically.

"Whatever, just shut up already. Anyway," she touched Themis's chin, forcing her cold stare at her. "Don't think I didn't notice you toiling day and night taking care of us. You should take a rest soon if you don't wanna burn out later."

"Gee," Themis shuffled her feet. "I dunno wadda say…"

"Themis," Klavier said, looking out at the window by his side. "Why are the soldiers here?"

"Those creeps again. Hold on," she swapped out the empty sachet of Michele's drip. "Hold on, I'll deal with them."

She stomped out of the room, leaving both Michele and Klavier in a daze. They were separated by a row of beds, each of them filled with people who were injured in the battle against Luther. Many were heavily bandaged and still unconscious, but thankfully, there were no signs of imminent death on any of them. Amy was on her side, still in a vegetable state and appeared somewhat pale. A small, squarish box that was connected to her beeped away on an interval. Michele stared at the green numbers displayed on the black screen, raising an eyebrow as she watched the device chart a massively crooked line across.

"The heck is this supposed to mean?" Michele poked at it.

"Best not to touch it," Klavier said. "It's something that shows whether a person's vitals are still working."

"How do you know that?"

"I've been reading. So, are you feeling better now?"

"Sorta. So who beaten his ass?"

"Someone who looks like me," he folded his arms, looking up at the ceiling at avoid her inquiring stare. "Apparently he blew almost everything up defeating Luther."

"That guy's gotta be strong," she scratched her head.

"Yeah," he leaned back against his pillow.

Themis burst through the door, a sour expression left on her face as a giant man clad in purple-black armor followed right behind her.

"You can't imprison me yet," she said. "I've got thirty-six patients to take care of!"

"It's the king's orders, ma'am…"

"I don't care! These people's lives are still on the line!"

"Are they?" a voice with a repulsive tone said. Michele sat upright, looking at a man wearing black-purple samurai armor carrying a metal staff with a orange jewel on its tip. An air of unholy aura surrounded him as he towered over her menacingly. "They can become my subjects while you serve your term."

"Shida," Themis gritted her teeth. "How are you still alive?"

"I wouldn't allow some lowly swordsman to kill me so easily, no? I've still a lot of experiments to carry out, and I'm just getting started. Guards, take her away. These guys are mine," he licked his lips wickedly.

"Hold up," a petite, black haired lady entered the room. She had her hair tied into two ponytails, carrying a dual-scythe on one hand that emitted an intimidating vibe. She wore an ankle-length largely red cloak with hints of gold designs that suggested royalty in it.

"Second princess," Shida gave a bow as she walked past him. "How nice to see you. What brings you here?"

"It's none of your business, Shida," she turned to Klavier. "You. You're coming with me."

"What?"

"It's an order," she pointed her scythe at him.

"Woah there," he stared at the sharp edges. "Okay, I'll go. I'll go. So don't point that thing at me, please."

"Don't worry," she smashed the blunt edge of her dual scythe on his neck, the impact strong enough to make him lose consciousness. "I'll take care of him."

"Grrr! Let go of him!" Themis bounced out of the guards' grasp only to be stopped by even more of them. The second princess jumped out of the window along with the unconscious Klavier on her shoulder, leaving the group with the rest for Shida to play with.

"You know what to do," Shida snapped his fingers, prompting a dark figure to step forward. "Iikuto Ryuuga."

His vision was foggy, almost as though he was looking through murky water. Clangs and bangs filled his hearing, amidst the chaos were soft murmuring among people around him. He opened his eyes, tasting the bitterness of metal in the sand below his chin. A dash of red ran across his eyes then a soft thud gave way to a window of silence.

"Please understand, Klavier, this is for the child," her soothing voice calmed him momentarily.

Wait, what child? He bounced up to his feet, staring back at the hundreds sitting in a large ring of elevated platforms, cheering and chanting the name "Alice" in every succession. Right before him was another lady who appeared a little like Elza, her body yet to grow out of the childhood stage, her violet eyes empty of emotion. On her hands was an oversized scythe, emitting the same repulsive aura as Elza's, only more vicious which sent chills down his spine.

"Target confirmed," she changed her stance. "Eliminate."

Klavier reached out for his sword stashed on his waist when she kicked up a sandstorm with a single swing of the deadly weapon. He somersaulted back, landing softly on his feet, ignoring the loud roars of excitement that filled the air.

"Kill him! Kill him!" the spectators shouted.

It felt as though he went through this event before even though it was the first time standing in the arena pit with an opponent to deal with. It was blazing hot, the sun rays burning through his skin so much that it threatened to cook the flesh to a good roast. But there was no time to fret about the scorching heat - the scythe girl whom the spectators called Alice moved to him so fast that it was akin to teleporting. Klavier pulled the white sword out of its scabbard, blocking the incoming attack that nearly sliced through his body. But he was a bit late in his reaction - the tip of the scythe found its way to his neck, doing nothing more than a soft poke that allowed blood to escape from the wound. It was then he recognized that Alice wasn't one to be messed with even if she was just a kid.

Klavier pushed the weapon out of his neck, smashing her foot onto her abdomen that pushed her back to a relatively safe distance. In a blink of an eye, Alice moved in right before his eyes, swinging a long round-about attack towards Klavier. He raised his blade, parrying against the strike but the tip of the scythe continued to race towards him.

Klavier dived down, evading it but barely. He seized Alice by the thigh, pushing himself to her side and used the shoulders as a support to lift her off the ground. With her master arm locked in his grasp, he collapsed backwards, smashing her right back down to the sand for a crippling blow to the back.

Pain was written all over her face as she forced herself up. But it wasn't about time for him to show mercy to his opponent. He swung his blade across, smashing it against the back edge of her scythe that kicked up a powerful storm around them. But the heavy opposing force faded as fast as it got to him. He lowered his sword, cursing at the blinding sand that surrounding him for obscuring his vision. A yellowish silhouette figure formed in front of him, the tip of the scythe shining brightly even in the perceived darkness. Klavier swerved to the right, evading the incoming attack effortlessly as he smashed his blade right on her abdomen that sent her crashing across the sandy arena.

Alice somersaulted, smashing her hand onto the ground that forced her to a halt. Klavier burst into a sprint, swinging his blade forward with all his might only to be stopped by an equally stubborn force with her weapon.

"That blade," she glanced at the shiny back edge of his sword. "What kind of blade is that?"

"Concentrate on the battle, girl," Klavier forced his sword upwards, breaking the deadlock between them. Alice was thrown off by the impact, leaving absolutely no time for her to recover from the stagger as Klavier thrusted his blade forward that found its way to her heart. But the sword's edge refused to sink below the cloth, hurling her across the space like a tiny barrel rolling on its sides.

"Enough," a low-pitched voice said just as he was about to deal the finishing blow.

"Who are you?" Klavier stared back at a sage-looking man wearing the dark purple cloak, sheathing his sword lest it threatened the elder.

"Alice still has a long way to go," the man pulled the unconscious kid up. "She's still too soft. Elza, training's over. Turn off the simulation."

"Yes, father," her voice echoed in the room as it deconstructed the environment back to a metallic set of walls around them.

"Father?" Klavier asked but the old man vanished in thin air.

"I apologize for the trouble you had to go through," the same woman wearing the red cloak approached him, giving an apologetic bow.

"It's no biggie. So, where am I?"

"Bariura Palace. Father ordered that I send you here to help train the child. We witnessed first-hand your true powers, mister Klavier and would like your help her get into form."

"What if I don't comply?"

"I'm afraid I'll need to silence you. But we'll try to avoid it as much as possible."

"Fine," he dug his ear. "So, princess Elza, please lead me to my cell."

"Aren't you a pessimistic fella? Father told me to get you a special place since he needs you to be healthy," she led the way out of the metal confines.

"I see. Please send him my thanks."

Gardeners filled the area, keeping the plants green while butlers kept the daily guests busy in their house. The sheer number of people in the castle already suggested the kind of extravagant lifestyle they got to lead. The palace was not restricted to that large plot of land; it extended so far and wide that he could see the two inner walls surrounding it where the inhabitants were most probably either the nobles or the filthy rich. But there was an air of tension everywhere, almost like they were living in absolute fear under the king's leadership.

Even on the dinner table with the king, people remained reserved in their thoughts, eating away in the massive feast on the long tables. Alice sat by Klavier's side, munching away in a emotionless state. The silence was killing him. But he could do little but to follow the norm just to get away from unnecessary punishment.

It was like escaping a boring lecture when he left the dining hall. He couldn't stand the way how the king was staring at him intensely, lost in his internal thought. Klavier's intuition tugged him on the shoulder, crying out to him in babbles as though it was trying to warn him of an dire consequences for messing around the king's affairs. He could try bailing out now, but it wouldn't do him justice since it would be off with his head if he didn't make a proper planning for the escape.

His dormitory was situated at the tower. The space was not normally used except when there were special guests of the empire that required them to stay for a period of time longer than a month. Klavier could almost taste the privilege behind the thoughts of the emperor but his subconscious squashed it. With so much time given to him for rest, he could just well use it to plan his escape. The thought sent chills down his spine, his mind screaming at him to create the flawless action plan at once. But the hype died down the moment Elza stood in front of the door, leaning against the ledge with her hand supporting her head as she looked at the twinkling night sky dreamily.

"G-Good evening, miss," he bowed.

"What is it like to be free?" she mumbled.

"Excuse me?" he tilted his head to the side.

"I'm sorry. I was just a bit tired. So how's the food?"

"Better than anything that I've tasted, that's for sure."

"That's good to hear," a slight smile dashed across her lips.

"What brings you here?"

"That blade of yours. Why did it not cut Alice?"

"As far as fighting is concerned, I'll try not kill if I can. Besides, I wouldn't want to see my own sibling get hurt by some stranger in a set up battle."

"You've got a point," the tips of her lips lifted. "In any case, please take care of her."

"Sure," a sad smile illuminated on his face under the moonlight as he closed the door on her.

Elza's devotion towards Alice was something to reckon with. He sensed a strong desire coming from her but couldn't make out what exactly that was. All he knew was that she wanted Alice to be safe. He recalled experiencing a similar event, where he and his sister shared a similar relationship. Unlike Alice, his sister was hounded by an unknown disease, causing her to cough blood out at random times of the day. It was a miracle that she was alive for a very long time; stories of those infected by it didn't end well - their victims living at most for just two weeks. She somewhat resembled Elza, most notably with the ponytail hairstyle and strong blood eyes.

A myriad of emotions stirred in him as her face became clearer in his head. She had to be alive, at least that was what his hopeful self would tell him. The unsettled feelings would definitely leave him to stare at the wall rather than fall asleep if he continued dwelling in it. He pulled open the door, checking the flanks just to make sure Elza was not near him before he moved towards the palace.

Contrary to his initial belief, the palace was not very tight in its security. In fact, the employees were allowed to roam about the place so long as they did not enter the restricted areas guarded by heavily armored pikemen. But it wasn't time to get comfortable with the life in there, he maintained his incognito approach in his search for a piano until he found one in a ballroom just below the tower he was situated at.

He started with a gentle, soft tune, slowly giving way to a ballad, the whole time maintaining his mental gaze on the smiling face of his sister. It was all coming back to him. The days he spent taking care of her as a newborn, protecting her from bullies, the moments when she broke the news of her disease to the family to the final days on her deathbed. As he put the song to a close, a bittersweet feeling lingered on.

"Wow, that was good," he heard a familiar voice.

"Elza, milady!" he jumped out of the seat. "What brings you here?"

"Nothing much," Elza maintained a genuine grin. "It takes a lot of courage to play a song from the depths of your heart, doesn't it?"

"You were listening?"

"The whole time."

"I'm honored," he scratched his head.

"There's no need to be," she cracked a giggle. "Will it cause you inconvenience if I were to request you to teach me how to master the piano?"

"Um, okay," he beckoned her over. "It's a bit complicated but once you get it, it gets easy. As for everything, you need to know the boring basics before you can start playing any song you want. So here's how…"


	9. Ch 6 - Plan

Michele could safely call Shida's lab a mess. Rats ran rampant all over the floor, bits of charred metal and broken glass were also scattered. Even her prison-like cell wasn't spared from the mess. A black blade chipped off from its handle sat beside her. She picked it up, ignoring the strange sensation that zipped through her arm upwards. The blade oozed with a strong desire to taste blood, threatening to sink into her skin the moment she touched it. She wrapped it in a thick cloth, shoving it into her bloody dress when a soft thud broke the silence.

"Yes, sir," a husky voice said, echoing in the small tunnel of the dungeon.

A silhouette of a man wearing a breastplate and a cape formed before her. As the shadow receded, a man with unruly brown hair approached her. A wicked smile surfaced on his face as they locked in their stares at one another.

"Good morning, miss Michele," he greeted, unlocking the door for her.

"What do you want, Ryuuga?"

"Lively as always, eh, Michele? That's good. Because I am your facilitator and I will assist you to become someone way more powerful than what you are now."

"I didn't ask for it, twerp. But thanks for the gift," a smirk dashed across her face.

"Well said. I kinda like you already. Not like some pseudo knight that claims he does not need power. Follow me. You know what will happen if you don't."

The phrase "pseudo knight" rung a bell. She glanced at the cloth holding onto the black blade, an image of Klavier pulling out his broken sword rampaged in her mind. He couldn't have referred to Klavier in that sense, or did he?

Ryuuga led her into the main facility of Shida's lab. It was by no means a comfortable trip - it stunk of rotting flesh and the air was full of agonizing noises. As they made their way down a spiral stairway, she caught sight Will, Aem and Amy chained at one corner, their heads bobbing about slightly that made them look a little zombie-like. Michele heaved a sigh so loud that it provoked Ryuuga's attention.

"You know," Michele said. "You could tell me what's going on already."

"You'll find out soon enough."

"I don't like to wait."

"Shut!" he bellowed right at her face. "Up...okay. Don't ask, just follow."

"Ooo, I'm so scared. So, is that all a death threat can do?"

"I swear, if not for Shida's orders, I'll tear you into ribbons right here, right now."

"Man, you're boring. Come on, lead me to your playhouse already."

"Ah, so good to see you alive and kicking, miss Michele," Shida said as they moved towards an encased area of the lab where he sat down pushing buttons at seemingly random points on a huge board in front of him.

"It's my pleasure to be at your service," a wicked smile emerged on her face.

"Now if you'll excuse us," Shida glanced at Ryuuga. Ryuuga gestured a gentle bow, leaving promptly without question. "Miss Michele, I believe you know why you're important for this project."

"I kinda forgot. Mind telling me you grandfather story?"

"As you wish. I do apologize for the stench outside, I've been working with a couple of magicians to attempt recreating life. Or in more simple terms, to summon the dead."

"You perked my interest already. Go on, I'm listening."

"It takes a great deal of magic to do this sort of thing. Some even died trying to achieve it for the power they forcibly wield is far too great to handle. So, in these little experimentations of mine, I want to make us stronger to be able to handle the strains of this unknown feat."

"Blah blah blah," she stuck out her tongue. "So basically you want to make me a 'Summoner', eh?"

"Correct. I offered this opportunity to another person but he blew my lab up instead."

"I see. I wouldn't want to be that kind of jerk. So, go on, equip me with the things you need me to have."

"Such enthusiasm. I like you already."

"Psst Michele, can you hear me?" a voice whispered in her ear.

"Oh, it's Themis, isn't it?" she thought out loud as she tapped on her ear.

"Are you okay there? I heard the rest are still injured."

"Oh yeah, sure, we're fine. Themis, I'm gonna be a Summoner."

"Oh. A Summoner. What? A Summoner? Why the heck did you agree with that?"

"That's my only option available if I don't wanna end up like those lab rats of Shida's."

"How long do we have?"

"Hold on. I'll ask him," she turned her attention to Shida. "Um, if I may ask, sir. How long does this procession last?"

"Three days," Shida answered.

"You heard that right, Themis?" she returned to her own internal thought.

"Three days eh. We ain't got much time. I would normally rely on Will to bail me out in these kinds of situations…"

"Look. Your knight is out cold somewhere in this lab. There's no way he can bail us out. What about that boy Klavier?"

"What? You want to mobilize that rogue knight to do the job?"

"Just do it. He might have what it takes. To get us out that is."

"O-Okay, I'll try… stay in touch okay?"

"Sure."

"Miss Michele," Shida said. "Now that I have your agreement, I would like to begin the process. It's broken down to three stages…"

A flash of light dashed across his eyes. The black-purple haired kid collapsed to her knees, clutching her stomach as she writhed in pain.

"I'll admit you're good," he said, resting the blade on his elbow, its back edge sinking into his skin slightly for blood to escape. "But you'll need to focus a lot more if you're going to match yourself to a true demon."

"Don't insult me," she stood up, lifting her scythe off the sandy ground. "I'm not done yet."

"That's the spirit," he raised his sword. "Show me what you've got, Alice."

Alice took a step forward, raising her scythe up to slightly over head level. Everything around them seemed to fall silent as their eyes locked on one another. Klavier burst forth like a rocket, pummelling his sword down so fast that it was virtually impossible to see it coming. However, Alice proved him wrong, she smashed her weapon against his, releasing a powerful shockwave that shook the ground around them. But that was about all she could do - she staggered from the incredible force so much that she toppled over a loose rock behind her, allowing Klavier to shove her right to the ground. Fear overtook the once emotionless expression on her face as he lunged the blade towards her. But it smashed right into the sand, an inch away from her head.

"Training's over for today," Klavier said, pulling the sword up. "You've made good progress in that speed of yours. You need to work on maintaining that balance no matter how hard the clash is."

"Well done, Alice," the king emerged from the shadows as the environment dismantled to its original metal confines. "I'll see you two back in the dining room for dinner."

"Yes sir," he bowed, watching Alice walk out of the room with the king.

"Good evening, Klavier," Elza's voice shook him. "What's with the long face?"

"N-Nothing much," he sheathed his white sword, following Elza out of the facility and back to the massive palace.

"I see."

"Anyway, I noticed that you won't show yourself when I mingle with Alice. Is something going on between you two?"

"It's father. He told me not to reveal my presence to her at all costs."

"Any reason behind it?"

"Not really."

"That must kinda suck," he glanced at the floor.

"Why's that?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Um…" he scratched his head. "Don't you wanna see the world?"

"Of course! But it's all about wars around here and as the second princess, it's not gonna be easy to get out of here."

They continued on with their conversation as they walked down the heavily trafficked hallway. Countless eyes were on them, the servant's internal thought as obvious as them telling Klavier their desire to kill him. It could be the way how Elza was so lively around him. But the bliss he could give her with his companionship could only last so long. After all, it was never his intention to stay in the palace and live a comfortable life.

Klavier walked up the tower, glancing at his back just to make sure that Elza wasn't following him. He needed a plan to escape and fast now that his body was starting to get used to the lifestyle the royalties led. He shut the door behind him, unfolding the thick and long scroll on the table that revealed the blueprints of the palace and the immediate residences around it.

In it indicated all the possible routes he could take to make an escape. Many were heavily guarded with the royal soldiers which had the capability of destroying mortal, not because of their peerless swordsmanship but more of the small hand cannon they carried around on their waist. He witnessed its power to kill a mortal with just the pull of the trigger even if they wore heavy plated armor on. He crossed out the routes guarded by those knights, leaving only two options available.

"Ugh… hey Klavier, can you hear me?"

"Themis. I was about to contact you," he thought out loud. "I'm thinking about a way to get out of this place but I require your opinion."

"Well, looks like we're on the same page. Okay, so let's see what you have."

He described the two paths open for him, the dangers behind each one of them - down the zipline to the roofs of the neighbouring hovels or by jumping down an epic number of metres off the garden outside the tower.

"Hmm… if it's me, I'd probably take the zipline. Wait. Do you know how to run through a zipline?" Themis asked.

"Um, yeah. I've got two swords that can support me."

"That broken sword isn't gonna help you much. We've got up to three days to pull it off. So we'd better be quick."

"Why three days?"

"Because Michele is going to become Shida's guinea pig to this thing called 'summoning'."

"What? Seriously?"

"Yeah. She'll be fine. I think she's just playing along with Shida to appease him."

"Okay, if you say so. Themis, please coordinate the escape. I'm anticipating that it'll be a high profile one."

"Oh. Okay. Make sure to get on horseback if you intend to get out of this place within an hour. You know how to ride a horse, right?"

"Um… I'll figure a way around it."

"Michele's an idiot to count on an idiot like you, you know that? You've got three days to get it right. So it's victory or death."

Themis's words sunk into his head. There was no way he learn such a skill over such a short time. Or was there? He peeked out of the window, staring at the stables just below the garden. The tips of his lips lifted.

Now was to find a distractor since the chances for escape would depend on how good that person did the job. He pulled out a circle emblem that had the symbol of fire from his pocket, joining his hands together as he chanted a spell under his breath. As if materializing out of thin air, an orange-haired man wearing a largely black armor stepped out of the magic circle. Traces of beige fur peeked out of his pauldrons and along the lines of his cloak, his sclera somewhat black.

"To think that I've been summoned by a human," his eyes narrowed. "What do you wish from me, Summoner?"

"I believe you know who I am," Klavier smirked.

"D-uh. I kicked your ass, and you kicked mine just a couple of days ago. I still can't believe I lost though."

"Luther, this is important. Please don't tell anybody that I'm a Summoner, okay? Now, the reason why I brought you here is to ask for your help. You see, I'm in a pinch right now."

"Go on," he folded his arms.

"I need to find Vanros Klavier, but the king of this empire will not let me go until I train this underaged kid called Alice."

"So you intend to escape knowing they'll be after your head."

"That's the point. To reduce that certainty, I'm going to need to count on you. So, here's the plan…"

Klavier filled Luther in with his thoughts about how the operation was supposed to be done.

"Hmm… interesting. Get Zellha on the line. I think she'll be interested," Luther said.

"Can I count on you to brief her? They will call me in anytime."

"Anything you say," he waved a goodbye as his body faded into the environment.

"Klavier," Elza's voice pierced through the door. "Is anybody in there?"

"U-Um, no, milady! What's the matter?"

"You're making the king wait."

"Crap."


	10. Ch 7 - Cornered

There was something different about Klavier's way of playing the piano. It sounded more soulful, mixed with melancholy and hope stirred together with a cello and a violin into a piece of coherent music that took her mind into a parallel universe. Memories reeled in her mind's eye, reminiscing the moments of Alice's birth and the new desire that burned within to protect the infant. Her vision started to distort like she was looking through a body of water. She blinked, wiping the tears off her eyes fast enough before Klavier turned around. He raised his eyebrows as their stares locked on each other for a split second.

"Did something happen?" he said with a gentle grin.

"I just remembered something, that's all."

"Must be a bitter one," he stashed the white sword on his waist as he rose from his seat.

"No, not really. But still, I wished that father would allow me to show myself to her…"

"You mean Alice?"

"Yeah," her eyes lit with a hint of enthusiasm.

"The time will come."

"But how can that happen without father ever knowing?"

"He doesn't need to know."

"What?"

"He doesn't _need_ to know about it," he turned his back on her, walking out of the piano room before she could throw anymore questions at him.

She wasn't about to let him get away with her question left unanswered like that. She dashed towards the exit, reaching out for Klavier when a beam of light flashed on her. The environment around her turned bloody, shadows of soldiers charging into battle only to be slaughtered by human-like creatures that wielded unearthly powers. In the carnage was a platinum-haired man, the solidness in his grey eyes shown nothing more apart from the desire of the widespread destruction. On his hand was a greatsword whose guard resembled that of angel wings. He stared right back at her, mouthing the words "The end is near" before charging towards her at an inhuman speed akin to teleporting.

Elza awoke abruptly, the aftershocks of the dream replaying in her mind. He wasn't about to disappear just when Bariura Empire needs him, would he? No, it was a very real possibility. After all, she was the one who took him from Themis's care against his will. She tossed herself out of the bed, donning her battle equipment, picking the scythe that leaned against the wall and stormed out of the room. She zipped through the countless pathways and flight of stairs, unable to shake off the cryptic message he sent in that dream.

The air around her started to feel heavy as she approached Klavier's room. It couldn't have been that gravity decided to pull her down harder. Rather, it seemed like there was an intruder, a very strong one for that person to release an aura that threatened to smother her. She lightened her footsteps, keeping her body low as she snuck up towards the top of the tower when she noticed an orange haired man stand in front of Klavier's room with his arms folded. She leaned against the wall, studying his movements but all he did was yawn or dig his ear with his black claws. Perhaps he wasn't a dangerous person-

"Hmph, you're the first person who dares to stalk me," his voice reverberated in her ears, sending shock waves that shook her to the core. "Second Imperial Princess, Elza."

"Who are you?" she withdrew from her hiding, clenching the handle of her scythe.

"Your worst nightmare. Pfft, that was cheesy. Maybe I should try another one."

"You'd best leave, stranger. Do so and your life will be spared."

"Oh? If you're gonna spare my life, then what about Klavier's?"

"What?"

"You heard me right. What. About. Klavier's?" his black sclera and red irises piercing through her.

"You," she pulled her weapon out. "What did you do to him?!"

"Woah," he raised his hands. "I didn't do nothing to him. I'm just a _god_ loitering around here minding my own business. Oh, in case you don't know, my name is Luther, not 'you'."

"Get out of here, or else."

"Or else what? Cut through me? No can do, milady."

Elza zapped through him, putting all the anger into a single strike as she swung the scythe with her all. Most enemies would either dive away from it or get slain. But Luther did neither of them - he raised his arm, blocking the attack by the wrist. The overwhelming force ought to throw him off. But no, he stood firm on his ground. A smirk surfaced on his formerly poker face. He clenched his fist, throwing a lightning quick punch to the face that sent her sliding across the floor. She wiped the blood off her mouth, spitting out a molar tooth.

"I like those eyes," Luther said. "Ready to go all out? Because I'm waiting."

"Shut it," she raised her scythe.

"You don't really understand the situation, do you? In case you don't know, I was the one who destroyed half the capital, leaving Klavier and his friends at the state they were. If it takes that many people to stop me, what makes you think you can stop me alone?"

"Hmph, don't get so full of yourself, boy," she loosened her footing. "The empire don't call me Inferno Elza for nothing. I'll take you out single-handedly, I promise you that."

"Let's see _if_ you can," he stomped on the floor, the sound rippling across the palace that shook the stillness of the night.

"Klavier! That's the signal!" Themis shouted in his mind. "Go! Elza must not find you!"

"I'm on it," Klavier said, dashing across the rooftop of the highest point in the palace, pulling out both swords from their scabbards.

He leapt into the air, joining the blades together into an "X" as he hooked onto the thick metal line that led him down to the residences just outside the palace. He tumbled across the roof, dissipating the excessive force that could break his legs with the hard landing before diving further down to the stables, taking cover in a hay bale when a group of guards patrolling the area came over to investigate the noise source.

He dropped his hand onto the handle of his white sword as the guards closed in to his hiding spot. One of them stepped forward, wielding a spear to poke onto the hay bale when Klavier pulled the sword out with so much speed that it appeared like a flashbang that momentarily dazed them. He bounced out of his hiding, smashing his sword flat on their noses in quick succession. The moment he sheathed his weapon, they collapsed, leaving no chance for them to shout for help. With the obstacles taken care of, he seized a horse from the stables, forcing it into a furious gallop.

"Klavier, come in," Themis's voice rung in his head.

"I got a horse," he thought out loud. "How's Michele?"

"She's with me along with the other soldiers. We're currently riding down the town using a hijacked carriage so we'll meet you shortly. In the meantime, if you bump into guards, please do not ram them over. They know how to disable horsemen."

"Okay."

"Keep going straight. I think I saw you already…"

"Yee-ha!" Michele's voice shook the air as she cracked the whip. "Come on, you lazy bum, my mom can move faster than you!"

"Michele… you're not being serious about what you just said, are you?" Klavier's eyebrow twitched.

"Of course not."

"Thieves!" a hostile voice shouted from behind. "You won't get away with this! Pull over right now, the whole lot of you!"

"No way in hell, pal," Klavier pulled out his white blade. "Themis, we've got company."

"It's not just one, there's four behind," Themis commented.

"Tell me where they are. I haven't learnt horseback riding well enough to be able to look anywhere just yet."

"If you say so…erm, to your northwest?"

His mind flashed the moments when he tried to slash a moving target on horseback. It ended in disaster, with him puking halfway through his slash before he bumped onto a wall that nearly split his head into two. With experience being the best teacher, he decided to close his eyes, trusting his other senses to fulfill his needs. He swung his sword across, picking up a small resistance to the motion before a loud, agonizing scream filled the air.

"That's one down, three more," Themis said.

"How the hell did you hit somebody with such lousy attacks?" Michele commented.

"Shut it. If you think you're so good, then do my job."

"Requesting for support! These men are dangerous!" the town guards shouted, prompting a massive mobilization of the remaining personnel with a ear-splitting siren. Tens of lightly armored militia flocked to block their path, raising their swords against them in full anticipation of their arrival.

"Great, we've got pursuers _and_ a barricade to go through," Michele said.

"Hoi," Themis said. "If we don't clear them, we're gonna get disabled and wasted there."

"Zellha," Klavier said. "Move in at our location. We need you to clear the path."

"With pleasure," a silhouette of a woman overshadowed the moon.

The moonlight shined on the figure, revealing a skimpily dressed lady whose golden hair sparkled brilliantly in the light. Zellha swung her hand across, raining down thousands of white and silver ethereal swords at the makeshift blockade that dispersed the crowd and killed a few. Klavier's and Michele's horse blazed past the wreckage, entering into the outer part of the empire.

"Klavier, who was that you called just now?" Michele asked.

"She's an acquaintance of mine," he replied.

"Klavier, we've yet to lose the other three horsemen," Themis said. "They closing in to our flanks. Michele, can you take care of the one at your left? I'll take care of the one behind us."

"Got it," Michele pulled an axe out, staring at the guard so intensely that she appeared to lose focus of the route in front of her. She threw the axe, its blade smashing right through the helmet and into the head.

Klavier moved in to the right, clashing swords with the other mounted unit. The apparent inexperience of horseback combat pulled him down - his opponent managed to pierce through his shabby defence, but wasn't close enough to do more than shallow cuts. Klavier swiped his blade onto the neck of the enemy horse, exerting sufficient power to cause it to stagger and bring his opponent down to the floor.

Themis's wand protruded out of the carriage door, firing shots of pink light towards the final pursuer. Her opponent dodged the attacks effortlessly, moving in so fast that it momentarily broke her concentration when he tried to slash through the door. Klavier closed in to the opponent, clashing swords with him when Themis unloaded another round. Klavier leaned to the side, barely evading the bolt that found its way to the intended recipient's head that sent him crashing to the floor.

"Hey! I could have hit you!" Themis shouted.

"I thought you needed some help since you're tiny," Klavier replied.

"Why you…!"

"Anyway, how far are we from the final destination?"

"Hang in there for another two minutes. I think we're close."

"That is assuming we don't get any hiccups," Michele said. "You know, I can see the empire is bringing in the bad boys from here."

"How does it look like?" Klavier asked.

"A house with crazy big wheels."

"Great, that's a tank on us."

"What's a tank?"

"It's a house of massive destruction. One shot at us and we're all dead."

"Oh. Okay. So. How are we gonna deal with that?"

"Themis, do you know any destructive magic?"

"Nope. I can only shoot holy bolts."

"What about you, Michele?"

"I can do a certain trick but that'll require us to stop."

"Got it," Klavier brought the horse to a gradual stop. "Get off now. We're going to fight. Michele, to the front."

"Got it," Michele said, bouncing out of the carriage master's seat.

A reddish aura danced over her brow as she unleashed her all, the range of her attack was so far and wide that it ripped the ground, slashing across the armor of the tank to create countless angry cross marks of various angles. However, the mammoth machine still moved forward at a speed so fast that they didn't even have a window of time to dodge its incoming attack. Klavier could hear Michele scream desperate instructions to dive away from it, but he paid no mind to it, pulling the broken black sword just on time that brought the metal body to a complete halt without any struggle.

"Bellow, Sirkius," he mumbled as he slashed its body into half. Michele dropped to her knees as the tank blew up right in front of them, the orange hue of the explosion amplifying the intense bloodlust in Klavier's brown irises.

"To think that a man could single-handedly stop a monster like that, I must commend you for your strength," a sinister voice provoked them.

"Good to see you again, Shida," Klavier held the handle of the white sword this time. "So what's in store for us?"

"I'm honestly not very sure. I'm here to fetch my experiment, that's all. I suggest you do not resist."

"He doesn't need to," Michele pointed her axes at Shida. "Because I'm the one who's going to."

"Guess it can't be helped after all. But it's not like I was expecting it. Alice, Ryuuga, they're all yours."

"With pleasure, sir," Ryuuga said, stepping forward to overshadow Shida. Beside him was the scythe girl, her eyes showing no form of emotion as she stared at Klavier.

"Michele," Klavier said. "Take care of Alice. I'll deal with Ryuuga."

"If you say so," Michele said, provoking Alice to chase her before she dashed out of sight.

"What is your motive, Ryuuga?" Klavier pulled his white sword out, its back edge gleaming under the moonlight.

"I believe I told you. To purge the world of darkness. The last time I couldn't kill you off, but there's nothing to stop me this time."

"So be it."


	11. Ch 8 - Desperation

The deafening clangs of their blades was music to his ears. Klavier and Ryuuga, locked in a wild dance of swordfighting, their swords coloring the air with a good mix of black and white. But Ryuuga was faster, swinging his sword with nearly unparalleled competence, tearing Klavier up bit by bit with every successful small cut that pierced through his tight defence. Ryuuga's blade stuck with his stubbornly, threatening to overpower Klavier with his unquenchable thirst for his blood. Klavier broke the clash between them, swinging his sword up so much that Ryuuga tipped off from his balance. He grabbed his scabbard, lunging it onto Ryuuga's stomach along with a head splitting smash to the head with the blade.

"Since when did you start fighting like that?" Ryuuga asked, wiping the blood off his mouth.

"When I wielded this sword. I now have the choice that most swordsmen don't," Klavier replied, raising the blade over his shoulders and leaned forward, leveraging the weight of his metal extension against his legs to maximize sprinting efficiency.

"No wonder it doesn't feel the same as compared to the last time."

"I see, so you noticed already. So what if it feels different?" Klavier zoomed past Ryuuga. But he did more than just get past him - there were abrasion cuts on Ryuuga's limbs and at the middle of his torso.

"You, how did you…?"

"Is there any more need to explain the move?" he rested the blade on his shoulder. "I would've chopped your limbs off and cut your chest open if not for this reversed blade."

"Showing mercy to your own opponent. Just how stupid can you get?"

"Would you rather lose your life or lose your pride?" he sheathed his blade, his left hand hovering slightly above the handle in anticipation of Ryuuga's next strike.

"I told you already. It's kill or be killed!" Ryuuga thrusted his sword forward.

Klavier wasn't about to fall for another attack under the same kind of stance Ryuuga used that broke his other sword into two. Ryuuga's blade screamed at his ear as it closed in, supposedly trying to invoke fear to shake him up. But this instance of ignorance was bliss - Klavier pulled his sword out so hard and fast that the draw speed outspeed his opponent's swing, landing a brutal hit across his body that thrown him high in the air before he could lose his head. Ryuuga touched down onto the floor, the impact of his fall created a small crater around him, his eyes rolled up and his mouth wide open.

Klavier dreaded using that technique - one that guaranteed the death of his opponent regardless of how prepared he was for the attack. Even his armor could not stand against the power exerted from the attack, shattering into bits and pieces of metal before his blade created a deep, wide slash across his body. If it was that potent with a dull edge, it would be even more scary to think about it when Klavier pulled it off with a normal cutting edge.

"Now, to back Michele and Themis up," Klavier mumbled as he sheathed the sword.

"Target hostile. Engage," Alice said.

Bursting forth in mid-air at a breakneck speed, she headbutted Michele on the torso, sending her into the air and crashing through the brick floor. Michele smashed her axes down, forcing herself to a grinding stop, blood oozing out from a tiny wound on the head. Alice came down so quickly that the air around her appeared to give way. But Michele was faster, she raised her axes in a fraction of a second just in time to parry Alice's attack. Michele pummeled her foot forward, pushing Alice by the side that sent her crashing onto a hovel.

"Where are you going?" Alice's voice shook Michele to the core.

Horror and amazement bit her neck, her eyes burning as she watched Alice return to her feet. Alice couldn't have been this powerful for a child. Impossible, just impossible that any kid could still be alive from that deathblow.

It didn't matter; the battle had to end quickly. Michele dashed forward at the fastest her legs would allow her to go. Alice raised her scythe, blocking the attack effortlessly. The force was supposed to sway her foundation yet she stood firm against it. Alice shot a glare at Michele, piercing right through her as she broke Michele's weakening defence with a mighty upward cut of the scythe.

"This is the result of Klavier's training?" Michele mumbled. To think that a person younger than her could have such a resolve, Michele couldn't help but to doubt her own resolve.

"I'll defeat you and take him back home," Alice said, raising her scythe at Michele.

"Home? What home?"

"An outsider doesn't need to know," Alice thrusted her weapon forward that landed flat on Michele's chest which sent her crashing across the floor.

"I can tell you this much," Michele said as she struggled to get back up. "Klavier's trying to get home but your dad isn't allowing him to."

"Father's word is absolute, take him back or execute him."

"Do you even get what I mean? What your father's doing is trying to coop him up here for his own benefit!"

"Nonsense. Father won't do such a thing."

"Then why is it that he wants you to execute him if you can't take him back?"

"What?" Alice's eyes narrowed.

"You heard me, didn't you?" Michele rose to her feet. "Your dad wants him dead."

"Are you questioning father's authority?" she smashed her scythe against Michele's axes. The strength was real; Alice was capable of bringing Michele down to knees.

"I'm questioning the rationale behind that order!" Michele swung her axes, overpowering her opponent just before the scythe blade could sink into her shoulder.

She wasn't about to let some power drain get the better of her. Michele swerved to the side, ignoring the burning sensation as the scythe's sharp blade slid across her arm, tearing apart the delicate ball dress that left her sleeve in tatters. She grabbed Alice by the head, smashing her head against hers, the force strong enough to kick Alice down to the floor. Most people wouldn't be able to recover immediately from that devastating attack too since Michele was known for being a hard head. Even so, her forehead throbbed with that unpleasant feeling.

"You sure are tough for a kid," Michele commented as Alice supported herself up with the scythe.

"Michele!" she heard a familiar voice from behind. She turned around, staring at an already worn out Klavier.

"You're pretty beat up."

"I know."

"Stand back, this is my fight," she raised her axes. "That kid will learn not to mess with me."

It was for the best. She couldn't stand thinking about the scenario of him shouldering all the weight on his own, not after he dealt with an opponent that left him in a bad state. But there was something off about Alice, it was almost as though she was reacting to the very presence of Klavier.

"Klavier?" Alice's expression softened, lowering her weapon as he approached. "It is you! Come, father is waiting for your return. He will spare all of you if you listen to his-"

"I'm sorry, Alice but I'm not going to comply," his gentle but sharp stare shot through her.

"Why?" she tightened her grip on the scythe. "I must eliminate you if you don't listen…!"

"You'll have to get past me first, chum," Michele stepped in front of Alice. "Come on, throw everything you've got at me."

"Fine," Alice shifted her stance. "You'll regret crossing the line."

She swung her right arm out, her scythe levitated off the ground, a pool of purple-black aura forming around it. As if she wasn't unfortunate enough, Michele was also surrounded by thousands of black balls. A dark, bitter feeling filled her heart - not because of the exceedingly dire situation she had found herself in, but because she had somehow seen Alice pull off those actions before. Alice clenched her fist, forcing the balls to explode into fireworks on and around Michele. Michele dug her axes to the ground, her legs wobbly from the impact that rendered her incapacitated.

"Michele!" Klavier's voice rung in her ears.

"I'm fine," she pushed him away, forcing herself back up. The kid's attack won't get the better of her.

But her body told her otherwise. She slouched forward, clutching onto her stomach as she unloaded a great deal of blood onto the floor, forcing her on her knees from the sudden massive loss. So the training was real. Klavier did mould Alice to become a fearsome fighter. But giving up was the last thing that should come true. Michele would rather be killed than to concede defeat to someone younger than her.

"You've done enough," Klavier rested his hand on her shoulder, wrapping his bloody white robe on her body now that her dress was completely blown up from the destruction. "Come on, take a rest already."

She opened her mouth, wanting to protest against the move when her eyes caught sight of a dragon tattoo on his back. Its body was orange, taking the image of a long, winded, scaly snake with four legs. But it wasn't only the tattoo that caught her attention. He had a slender body that had barely enough muscle to show off, a far cry from the usual buffed and beefy kind of figures expected of warriors. Scars dotted on his body, the worst being a long slash across his back. He couldn't have been the youthful man his face claimed to be with that many injuries in the past.

"Stay down, okay? I'll take care of this," he said, dropping his hand to the handle of the white sword.

"Target switch," Alice said. "Eliminate."

"I believe I didn't teach you to fight in that way, did I?" Klavier blocked the incoming attack with little effort.

It felt as though the stand off was nothing more than a training session. Alice struggled to keep up with Klavier's pace, but he refused to land any blows onto her even though there were plenty of opportunities to do so. That wasn't what worried Michele. The small, fresh cuts from the previous battle started to open up, making way for more blood to seep out. His stupidity would lead him down to the abyss. Michele pulled the axes out of the floor, taking a step forward when Klavier shot a glare that got her back down on her knees.

_Don't interfere_. Those were the words conveyed through his unspoken language. She probably would have stepped on his code of honor if she jumped in. After all, knights were valiant fighters in the field, valuing honor and chivalry over anything else.

"You're holding back," Klavier said.

"No, I'm not!" Alice said.

"Then why is it that I sense hesitation from your blade?"

"That's…"

"Never mind."

Klavier sheathed his sword, his hand near the handle of the blade. Alice slid her foot forward, cold sweat running down her cheek. The air around them stilled, almost as though it read the intensity of their concentration. Before long, Alice took off, swinging her heavy scythe towards Klavier with all her might. Yet as the danger drew close, he simply stood there, appearing indifferent at the situation before him.

Two lights, one black-purple and the other white collided with one another before a sound of a blunt metal bumping into flesh filled Michele's ear. A silhouette overshadowed the moonlight, along with shards of metal that rained down from the heavens. Michele looked up, staring at an Alice that was launched high in the air, her body marked with a large, angry abrasion across. She and the scythe came crashing down without any form of resistance, crumpling up on the floor, screaming at the top of her lungs.

His body leaned forward at an angle that didn't fit the normal walking position. As if Michele knew what to do the whole time, she wrapped her arms around him, holding against the overwhelming force that threatened to break her balance.

"You're pretty heavy for your kind of size," Michele commented. "Anyway, what happened to you? Why're you so beat up?"

"My bad," he returned a weak smile. "I just overdid it."

"Idiot. You'd better stay alive so I can whoop your ass for not taking care of yourself. Come on, let's get out of here already."

"No, don't go," Michele's ears pricked at the sound of soft sobs in between those words. She looked down, staring back at a tearful Alice who held onto her leg in a desperate move to stop them.

"Grr, get off me!" she shook her leg, forcing her to let go.

"Please don't…!" Alice's sobs got louder.

"Michele, hold on a second," Klavier let go of her support.

He wasn't about to comfort that kid, was he? She reached out for his shoulder. But she was too late - he wrapped his arms around the devastated child as though Alice was his own. The image of compassion burned in Michele's mind. It was absurd; No sane man would dare expose his vulnerabilities even to a crying youngster in this field of death. So, how was it that he could still do it?

"Don't go," Alice mumbled.

"Sorry about that," Klavier said. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Why are you doing this?"

"I need to find a person. His name is Vanros Klavier. Once I find him, we'll return and maybe you can train with him."

"Father will listen, won't he?"

"No. He'd rather kill me than to let me escape here in one piece."

"I'll talk to him-"

"No. You'll get hurt. In any case," he let go of Alice. "This is my last message. Live. Everything can fail. But not your will to live."

"G-Goodbye," she clenched her fists. "Master…"

"Don't make me sound old. I'd rather be called teacher than master. Michele, let's go."


	12. Ch 9 - Ruthless

That sneaky Shida wasn't about to get away for getting them into a messy situation. Themis stood before him, folding her arms as she looked at him in the eye. She knew she wasn't the most intimidating person to deal with a menacing magician like him, but with the other two busy in their own battles, it was up to her to stop him from mobilizing even more fighters to incapacitate them. She fired a pink bolt at him, chipping off a small part of his armor as he swerved to the side in an attempt to evade it.

"Looks like I've underestimated this tiny creature alright," Shida wiped off the burning debris on his shoulder.

"Call me that again and I'll make sure you'll never see the sun rise again," her eyebrows arched to form a "V" shape.

"I love your confidence, you know that?"

Themis focused all her energy onto her wand, unleashing the largest shot that she could conjure at him. It didn't come with a recoil strong enough to slam her on the nearest wall though. If it was that powerful, Shida probably wouldn't stand a chance, that was, if he got hit by it. Perhaps now was the time to believe in lady luck…

He raised his staff in full anticipation, intercepting the projectile with little difficulty. It didn't stop there - he threw the spell right back at her, reinforced with an overwhelming presence of dark power in it. Themis dived away from the evil magic as it crashed right on the hovel behind her, bringing up into flames.

"You were correct to dodge that thing, tiny creature," Shida said, resting his staff on his shoulder. "Warm up is over. Time to get serious."

Shida swung his staff across, sending a wave of black fire blazing towards Themis. She jumped away, ignoring the flames that blazed on her shoulder as she tumbled across the floor like a smooth metal ball. Themis bounced to Shida side, wrapping her arms around his waist, pointing her wand at his face.

"See if you can dodge this, old man," the tip of her jewel wand lit up, blowing up the projectile before she could even think of escaping. She crawled out of the dust cloud, cursing her itchy trigger finger for releasing the shot too early.

"Is that all you can do?" he heard his voice from her back. She turned around, staring at a demon incarnate whose hands became wicked claws similar to Luther's. Instinct told her to run but with her body a bashed up by her own blast, she couldn't see herself successfully evading the attack. She took it hard, enduring the five talons that ripped through her back. Blood rushed out of the fresh wounds, staining her dress to create a deep red patch. She should at least try to stop the bleeding since there wouldn't be much time before the loss became too great for her body to bear.

She pounced onto his head, pulling his hair with all her might before smashing her wand flat on his forehead. The damage ought to keep him down for a while. But no, he stood right back up, denying her the time she needed to heal herself of the grievous injuries.

The environment around Themis with nothing but dark matter. The tips of his lips lifted as he swung his staff down as he shouted the words "Soul Prison". She wasn't about to repeat the same mistake. She mumbled a spell under her breath, picturing a location away from the perimeter of Shida's incoming attack. A small pink magic circle formed around her but before it could be completed, a purplish circle of a different design formed on top of it. It overloaded her spell with foreign magical particles, destabilizing it before it blew up on her.

She fell to her knees, having been drained of all the remaining power left of her. It was of little comfort that she was risking her life for Klavier's escape, only to be stopped by a mad magician whose magic pool knew no bounds. Her death would probably help him in his survival.

"Bellow, Sirkius!" a familiar voice shouted so loud that it drowned the noise of the impending doom dashing towards her. A flash of red zipped past her, so close that a few strands of her hair fell to the ground, blazing through the air before crashing into Shida's magic, rendering the preparations behind it useless.

"Oh, if it isn't Klavier," Shida said.

"Get away from Themis," he pointed his broken black sword at him.

"And what? Fight me in that kind of condition?"

"Does it matter? I'll cut you down no matter how badly injured I am," he drew out his white sword.

"No," Themis raised her hand across. "I'll handle this."

"But you're…"

"You've done enough brawling for the day. Look at you," she glanced at the countless cuts on his body. "Giving me more work than I already have."

"Okay, if you say so," Klavier sheathed his swords.

"Hey you!" Themis threw a pebble that landed square on Shida's nose. "Your opponent is me!"

"Some courage you've got there, tiny," he wiped the blood off his crooked nose.

"Simple," she dashed around him so fast that he didn't have time to react. "I've been watching how Klavier fights for a while already, so I learnt one or two tricks from him," she raised her wand high in the air, smashing it down onto Shida's head with all her might. Shida stood his ground but having received a hard hit, he didn't seem to be able to recover from the impact quickly, allowing Themis to land a chain of bashes to the head until he collapsed.

Shida forced himself up, holding onto her wrist as tightly as he could so that she couldn't escape. He raised his staff against her, chanting under his breath as a maelstrom of dark magic pooled around the tip. But the casting took too long - Themis grabbed him by the head once more, headbutting him with all her strength. Shida toppled over, clutching onto his forehead before lying down on the ground with his limbs spread wide open.

"Damn! I'm not done yet!" Shida thrusted his staff into her abdomen. The sounds around started to muffle to the point that only her heartbeat could be heard. She could have sworn she heard both Michele and Klavier shout her name. But with the world around her starting to spin, she couldn't be sure if that was the case.

Any normal person would have passed out by now, having endured such attacks. No, she wasn't about to let it take her away. Klavier and Michele would be goners without her. She mustered all the remaining energy left in her, pulling the staff out of her body for blood to pour out of the hole created in its aftermath.

She swung her wand across, picturing the same way how Klavier would slash across to reach out to his opponent when he attempted to dodge. It landed Shida's head with so much force that he collapsed once more. This time, mercy was not in her dictionary.

"Never! Ever! Call! Me! Tiny! Again!" she smashed his head continuously, timing her strikes with every word she shouted.

She bashed his head so much that it looked a bit disfigured. But that was a good thing since she could be sure that he would not interrupt her in her healing. She hovered her hand on the stab wound, squeezing out the last bit of energy she had to close it up. But her all wasn't enough, closing it halfway when the magic failed on her.

"Michele! The medicine!" she heard Klavier's voice just before the abyss embraced her whole.

"This is bad," Klavier said, examining the wounds on Themis's body. "Michele, use the towel to stem the blood flow on her back. I'll deal with the one on her front."

Themis may have survived the battle against Shida, but the chances of survival was slim with the immense amount of blood lost from that duel. She wasn't one to fight in a battlefield to start with anyway. Yet he couldn't disapprove the spirit she put in to defeat an enemy that was way out of her league.

There was one thing that he couldn't shake off. How was it that Themis understood some of his techniques just by watching him? She didn't execute it as perfectly as she ought to, but it was good enough to give Shida the beating he deserved.

"Hey Klavier, quit spacing out," Michele's voice threw him back into reality. "She's still bleeding, you know."

"I know," he spread pressed a little harder on the pressure points near her wound. "I couldn't help but to think that she somehow managed to imitate some of my techniques, that's all."

"It's easy to copy. It's just… I don't know. Maybe it's a bit difficult to wield?"

"That's the point. No amateur fighter can handle its pressure without first building the physical resilience."

"I see you guys are having fun," a husky voice said. They turned around, looking at an orange-haired man with an eyepatch on his right eye peeking out of the entrance of a violet-colored giant house.

"Y-You!" Michele pointed at him.

"Look little miss. I've got a name and that is Luther."

"What are you doing here?"

"Not here to dance with you, that's for sure. Anyway, get in already. I still need to hold back the army you know."

"Thanks, we owe you one," Klavier and Michele supported Themis up.

"Zellha will hitch you a ride out of this damned place. Till then, take care."

"What about Will, Aem and Amy?" Klavier asked.

"Them? They've already escaped. Meet up with them in the plains after you're out of this place. Oh," Luther passed two emblems, one which was purple-black that bore the symbol of a dual scythe and the other silver which had the symbol of a greatsword and its hilt decorated with angel's wings to Klavier. "I think you'll find this useful."

"Thanks," Klavier entered the tank.

"Well, took you long enough," Zellha greeted him with a toothy smile, sending chills down his spine. "Let's go."

They took off, moving so fast that those in their way had no time to run away, getting themselves flattened or launched like a catapult rock aimed at the heavens.

"Michele," Zellha said. "Man the cannon. We're blasting a hole on it."

"Who are you to order me eh?"

"Please listen to her," Klavier said. "I'll take care of Themis in the meantime."

"Fine," she jumped onto the seat by Zellha's side, maneuvering the joystick as she aimed at the wall in front of them. "Um, how do I shoot?"

"Pull the trigger."

"You mean this?" she squeezed the trigger sitting underneath her fingers, unleashing a powerful projectile at the wall that came crumbling down.

"Nice shot. Now make it bigger so we can ram our way through."

"Never thought we actually have that kind of technology," Michele commented, firing away all the shots the tank could offer.

Now was the time to use it since Michele wasn't watching. Klavier mumbled a spell under his breath, swinging his left hand across Themis's body. Lime green particles filled the air around her, sinking into her skin slowly. The blood that once was running out of the wounds like a fountain started to thicken into a thin clot. He dropped to his knees, overwhelmed by relief that the healing spell worked without any hiccups.

"Oh," Michele said. "I saw what you did there."

"Heh?" his cheek muscles twitched.

"Come on, spill the beans already. You're not an ordinary knight as you claim to be."

"You sure you wanna know the truth?"

"I'm waiting for it."

"I'm a…" he glanced at Zellha. "A magician. Yeah."

"That doesn't sound very convincing."

"Have you heard of the term 'magic swordsman'?"

"Not really."

"I'm one of them. A magic swordsman knows all kinds of magic, including healing. But healing isn't our forte since the profession is more tuned to combat. I would still rely on medicine for that reason."

"At least she's off the danger zone now."


End file.
